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Romans 7:9 – Understanding Produces Guilt

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Will

I was previously alive without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.

Truth to Learn

Without an understanding of what sin is, we feel innocent of it, but when we understand what it is, we realize our guilt.

Behind the Words

The word translated “alive” is dzaō, which means “to have life.” In early Greek writings this word was rarely used except in the present or past imperfect tense (I am alive or I was alive). For the other tenses, the verb bioō was used. This verb means “to spend one's existence or to pass one's life.” It is from this verb that we derive our English word "biography," the narrative of how one spent his life.

The word “without” is translated from the adverb chōris, which means “separately or apart from.”

“Revived” is from the Greek word anadzaō, which is made up of ana, meaning “again” and dzaō, which we just saw means “to have life.” Hence, anadzaō means “to have life again” or “to come back to life” or “to be revived.”

Meaning Explained

This is another difficult verse, perhaps the most difficult so far because it is not clear what Paul means by the two expressions, “I was alive” and “I died.” There has been much discussion amongst Biblical scholars throughout the ages, but there is little consensus other than this: When Paul claims to have been alive, he must mean that he had a certain kind of peace, he felt innocent and secure, and he was free from the convictions of his conscience. That is, he believed himself to be righteous. When he says that he died, therefore, it must mean the opposite to his being alive. In other words sin reigned, producing its condemning effects leading to guilt and misery.

So, what Paul is telling us in this verse comes from personal experience. There was a time when he felt confident in his own righteousness. But as he learned more about the Law, he discovered how much of a sinner he really was, and the effect was that he no longer believed himself to be righteous. In other words, he realized that he was a sinner under God’s condemnation.

This, I believe, is the first step towards salvation and a victorious Christian life for all of us. Unless and until we realize that we are not righteous, that we are sinful and lost, we cannot be saved. Once we realize our own depravity, however, we need to discover what it is that will take that depravity and its guilt away, and only the blood of Jesus Christ can accomplish this. Therefore, realizing that we are a sinner and in need of salvation, we find that the only way to receive forgiveness is to humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God and ask Him to forgive us. Then, we learn that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, and all we have to do is to accept His payment for our sin and He saves us.

Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, He was buried as proof of His death, and He rose again as proof of His righteousness.

Application

Do you believe that you are a sinner in need of salvation? Do you believe that Christ died to pay the penalty for your sins?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 4:6 – Righteousness Without Works

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Will

exactly as David says of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

Truth to Learn

David also talked about those who are blessed due to God’s declaring them righteous without having done good works.

Behind the Words

“Exactly as” is translated from kathaper, which is made up of katha, meaning “as” or “just as” and per, which is an article indicating abundance. So, we could translate this as “exactly as” or “very much as.” In other words, Paul is showing a very strong relationship between the example of Abraham’s justification by faith and the things that David said, as quoted in the following verses.

The word translated “blessedness” is makarismos, which refers to someone who has been declared as fortunate, or happy. A very similar word is used in the following two verses where it is translated as “blessed.” Paul is using the word here to describe someone who “possesses the fullness of God’s favor.” Another way of saying it is “one of God’s favorites.”

The word “credits” is translated from the Greek word logidzomai, which we looked at back in verse three, meaning “to credit to someone’s account.”

“Apart from” is the translation of the word chōris, which we looked at in the previous chapter. This word indicates separation of two things in space or time. Therefore, it could be translated here as “separate from” or “without.”

Meaning Explained

Paul has already shown that Abraham is an example of God’s crediting righteousness apart from works of the Law. He now cites another example from the Old Testament. This time it is a quote from David, who obviously understood that God considers a person righteous without the works of the Law. In fact, David declares the person “blessed” to whom God imputes righteousness through faith. It may seem strange to think of God as having favorites, but in a very real sense that’s what David says about those who believe God’s good news.

And this favoritism comes, not from works of righteousness, but as a free gift from God. It is not granted to us because we have kept a set of rules or followed all the requirements of a particular church or even because we have been obedient. God’s favoritism comes simply because He has chosen to grant it to those who believe.

If you believe that you are a sinner in need of salvation and you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for all of your sins, Paul says because of that belief (faith), God has declared you to be as if you had never committed a single sin. You are declared “righteous” and your name is written in the Book of Life. It also means that you will not appear at the Great White Throne Judgment spoken of in Revelation 20:11-15. Instead, you will appear at the Bema Seat Judgment spoken of in 2Corinthians 5:10 where you will receive rewards for those things which you have done for the glory of God.

Application

Because of this gracious truth, let’s commit ourselves to living the remainder of our lives for the sole purpose of glorifying God. It’s the least we can do! Don’t you agree?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 3:28 – Faith Alone

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Will

Therefore we conclude that a man to be justified by faith apart from works of law.

Truth to Learn

Righteousness comes by faith and faith alone, not by works.

Behind the Words

“Therefore” is from the Greek word oun, which marks a connection between the current phrase and that which proceeded.

The verb translated “we conclude” is logidzomai, which means “to put together with one’s mind, to count, or to make calculations or reckonings in the mind.” When used with oun, as it is here, it indicates “a proof” or “a conclusion.”

The words “apart from” are translated from chōris, which indicates separation of two things in space or time. Therefore, it could be translated here as “separate from” or “without.”

“Works,” as we have seen before, is from the Greek word ergon, meaning “a deed, a work, something involving labor.”

There is no definite article before the word “law” in the Greek text. The word “the” has been added by some translators.

Meaning Explained

Paul has just gone through a very complete rationalization of why the Jews were falsely confident in the Law, having stated that whether Jew or Gentile we all have sinned and have come short of God’s glory. He further went on to show that the blood of Christ is represented by the mercy seat in that it “covers” our sins, allowing God to pass them by. And, in doing so, He draws attention to His own righteousness as he credits righteousness to anyone who has faith in the covering blood.

He now states the conclusion of this part of his dissertation. That is, that we are justified by faith apart from works of law. In other words, the works have absolutely no bearing on our justification (our being declared righteous).

The Jewish Christians in Rome had always considered their righteousness to be the result of keeping the requirements of the Law. Because of the teachings of the Law and the Prophets, they waited for their Messiah to come. These converts from Judaism considered themselves Christians because they kept the Law AND believed in their Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Paul now tells them that keeping the Law has no effect on salvation, further demonstrating that there can be no boasting in salvation because we didn’t do anything to deserve it.

We can only be justified by the principle (law) of faith. In order to satisfy this principle of faith we must humble ourselves before the mighty hand of our sinless God, agree with Him that we are sinners who are undeserving of justification (salvation), and agree with God (confess) that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

Our justification does not come about because we perform some work or deed. We are justified in His sight because He reveals His son to us and He draws us to Himself so that we believe. It’s all His work and none of ours.

Application

Paul makes it very clear that we can’t do anything to earn salvation; we can only receive it humbly, as a free gift. Are you still trying to earn “favor” with God? Why? It can’t be done!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 2:12 – Without Hope?

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Will

that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Truth to Learn

Through faith in Christ we are no longer without hope.

Behind the Words

The word “without” is translated from the Greek word chōris, which means “without” or “separated from.”

“Being aliens” is from the verb apallotrioō, which is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “apart from” and allotrioō, meaning “to alienate” or “to separate from.” Thus, this word means “to be completely separated from.”

“Commonwealth” is translated from politeia (from which we get our English word politics). It is indirectly derived from polis, meaning “a city.” Politeia refers to a community or commonwealth of citizens.

Xenos is the Greek word translated “strangers.” It refers to someone who is not a citizen of a commonwealth.

The words “without God” are from atheos, which is made up of a, meaning “not” or “without” and theos, which is the Greek word for “god.” Therefore, we see that atheos refers to someone “without God” or “Godless.”

“Hope” is translated from the Greek word elpis, which refers to more than just a wish. It is “a hope for something with the full expectation that it will happen.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul noted that before we were saved we were called “the uncircumcision” by the Jews, because we were not part of the covenant that God made with them through Abraham. Even though the Jewish faith had degenerated into a works oriented religion, they still were the recipients of God’s covenant because they were descendants of Abraham.

Paul now expands on what he has just said. He tells us that before we were saved, we were without Christ. That’s pretty obvious. But, he also tells us that we were not part of the political entity called Israel either. The significance of this is that only Israel was privy to the covenant. Now, we have to ask, what covenant is Paul talking about?

Shortly after the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of God was poured out, Peter preached a message to the Jews in the temple area. As part of that message, he said:

You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, “and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Acts 3:25)

This is the covenant referred to by Paul, the promise of a Messiah. Before the coming of Christ, we were outside the commonwealth to whom the promise was made. Therefore, before Christ, we were without hope and we were without God. We were alone in this world system.

Application

Before we were saved, we were hopelessly lost and destined for eternal punishment in Hell. But now, through faith in the blood of Christ, we have hope and the assurance that we will spend eternity in God’s holy presence. There is hope for us!

In God's service, for His glory,

James 2:26 – Faith, Dead or Alive?

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Will

For just as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is also dead.

Truth to Learn

If works of faithful obedience to God are not regularly demonstrated in our walk, then we need to determine if we were ever really saved in the first place. Nothing could be more tragic than someone believing they are saved only to find out when they stand before their God and Judge that they never really believed.

Behind the Words

“Just as” is translated from the adverb hōsper. This word is made up of hōs, meaning “as” and per, meaning “much.” It means “just as” or “exactly like.”

The Greek word translated “body” is sōma, used here as a reference to our physical body

The word “without” is from chōris, which means “separately” or “by itself.”

Pneumatos is the Greek word translated “spirit.” It is derived from pneō, meaning “to breathe.” Hence, the spirit of a person is the “breath of life” which makes him or her a living being.

“Dead” is translated from the Greek word nekros, which refers to a corpse, a dead person.

Meaning Explained

James sums up this entire section with a simple statement that expresses what he has been saying for the past ten verses. Just as your own body cannot exist without the life-giving presence of your spirit, so your faith cannot exist without the presence of works of faithful obedience to your Lord and Master. If those works don’t exist in your life, then you are not really saved.

There are many churches today that are more interested in numbers of converts than reality of converts. They say, “All you have to do is believe that Christ died for your sins and you will be saved.” They say nothing about submitting to the lordship of God or of turning over control of your life to Him. As soon as someone says the sinner’s prayer, they congratulate themselves and record another convert in their membership rolls. What they often don’t tell the new converts is, “How you live your life after you do this will be the evidence of whether or not your faith is real.” As a result, there are many so-called Christians who have professed Christ at some time in the past, but their post-confession life is no different from their pre-confession life. We have to wonder whether they were ever really saved in the first place. James would clearly say they were not.

Application

If you are wondering whether your own profession was real, simply ask yourself: Has my manner of living changed since I confessed Christ as savior? Do I have a hunger for His Word? Do I desire to be with my Christian friends more than my unsaved friends? Does The Spirit convict me when I sin? Do I want to know God better and to please Him as much as possible?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, then take a few minutes right now and do this:

Recognize that you are a sinner (we all are) and that the penalty of your sinfulness is death.
Humble yourself before God Almighty, recognizing that He is your supreme ruler and master.
Repent of your sins (this means turn away from them and go the other direction, toward God instead of away from Him). This doesn’t mean that you won’t sin, but you won’t want to sin.
Accept the fact that Jesus, as a sinless man and as God, died on the cross and paid for all of your sins (past, present, and future).
Confess, in your own words, that you believe that Christ died for your sins.
Walk worthy of the Lord!

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

In God's service, for His glory,

James 2:20 – A Fool Without Works

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Will

But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is useless?

Truth to Learn

God calls all true believers to do good works.

Behind the Words

“Want” (“will” in some translations) is translated from thelō, which refers to the will of man (the determined will). It is a different word than boulomai (also translated “will”), which refers to the desirous will of man. Thelō includes active volition and purpose instead of just a simple desire. It is sometimes translated as “determine.”

The word “foolish” is translated from kenos, which simply means “empty.” James is most likely referring to a person who is empty of knowledge on this subject. In the New Testament a fool is someone who rejects God’s teachings. Here, James is simply saying that the person is lacking knowledge.

“Without” is the same word we saw back in verse eighteen, chōris, which means “separately, by itself, or apart from.” In other words, saving faith simply does not exist separated from good works.

“Useless” is translated from the Greek word argos, although some manuscripts have the word nekros, meaning “dead.” Argos is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of ergon, meaning work. Hence, it refers to something that is not working, or that is idle and has no effect. It is useless.

Meaning Explained

Back in verse eighteen, James started this path of reasoning by using a hypothetical argument against a saving faith which is not accompanied by works.

But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

James is politely saying to anyone who doubts his assertion, that they are uninformed; they are empty and void of understanding. He simply states once again that faith without the evidence of works is not saving faith (it does not produce new life in Christ). It is useless faith, a faith that doesn’t work!

As pointed out earlier, the Greek word translated “without” really means “separate from.” James is emphatically declaring that true faith does not exist separate from good deeds. A genuine saving faith in the blood of Jesus Christ will always be accompanied by good works. The good works accompany salvation and are the evidence of salvation.

In the next few verses James is going to give a couple of examples of people who proved their faith through their works. In these verses, notice that neither Abram nor Rahab chose the works that became the evidence of their faith. The works were chosen by God for them to do.

Application

Do you ever feel the Spirit of God prompting you to do a good deed? It may be as simple as helping an elderly person who has a physical need, or it may be an opportunity to witness to someone about salvation through Jesus Christ. Whatever it is, your obedience is evidence of your salvation.

In God's service, for His glory,

James 2:18 – Evidence in Action

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Will

But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Truth to Learn

Good works are the evidence of our salvation.

Behind the Words

The word translated “someone” is the Greek word tis, which is an indefinite personal pronoun, meaning “some person” or “a certain person” or “someone.” James is using this device to present a rhetorical challenge.

“Show me” is translated from deiknuō, meaning “to show” or “to display.” It is used here in the imperative mood. The subtlety of the imperative mood is that it expresses action that is not taking place but which the speaker wants to take place. This is why it is most often expressed in English as a command. Hence, James is saying, “Your faith is not showing, therefore show me your faith …”

The word translated “without” is the Greek word chōris, which means “separately, by itself, or apart from.” So, James is not talking about a faith that does not have works, he is talking about a faith separated from its works. That’s a subtle distinction but one that I believe James is making.

“By” is translated from ek, a Greek preposition meaning “out of.” So, James is actually saying, “…I will show you my faith out of my works.” In other words, the works are the evidence of the faith.

Meaning Explained

James has just said that faith without works is dead. In order to show that he means that faith cannot exist apart from works, he carries the discussion one step further. He assumes that the reader is arguing that salvation is by faith alone. That is, faith and works are separate and faith is the only thing. James states very clearly here that the works are the evidence of the faith. He is not claiming that we are saved by works, rather he says that once we are saved, our actions and deeds will be the evidence of that saving faith.

James now uses a hypothetical person to make the challenge:

You think that faith is the only important thing in the Christian walk and works have no place in salvation. Therefore, show me the evidence of your faith in something other than works, and I will show you the evidence of my faith, which is my works.

The Apostle John expressed a very similar thing in his first general epistle:

Whoever has worldly possessions and notices a brother in need and yet withholds his compassion from him, how does the love of God remain in him? (I John 3:17)

Once again, let me state very clearly what James is and isn’t teaching. He isn’t teaching that we are saved by works, for we cannot earn our salvation; we are saved by grace through faith and faith alone. What he is saying is, if we are genuinely saved, the evidence of that salvation will be the way we treat other people, especially those brothers and sisters in Christ who have needs that we can fill.

Application

Is there evidence of your faith in what you say and do? Or, here’s another way of asking the same question, “If you were arrested today for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 2:12 – Without Hope?

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Will

Ephesians 2:12 – Without Hope?

that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Truth to Learn

Through faith in Christ we are no longer without hope.

Behind the Words

The word “without” is translated from the Greek word chōris, which means “without” or “separated from.”

Xenos is the Greek word translated “strangers.” It refers to someone who is not a citizen of a commonwealth.

“Hope” is translated from the Greek word elpis, which refers to more than just a wish. It is “a hope for something with the full expectation that it will happen.”

Meaning Explained

Shortly after the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of God was poured out, Peter preached a message to the Jews in the temple area. As part of that message, he said:

You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, “and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Acts 3:25)

Application

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

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Romans 10:14 – You’re the Preacher

Posted on October 11, 2010 by Will

Romans 10:14 – You’re the Preacher

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

Truth to Learn

The responsibility of sharing the Gospel message falls upon everyone who has believed it.

Behind the Words

“Believe” is from the Greek verb pisteuō. This word is based on the noun pistis, which means “firm persuasion, conviction, or belief in the truth.” Hence, pisteuō means “to have a firm conviction or belief in some truth.” It does not mean to simply accept a statement as fact, but to firmly grasp it as reality.

The word translated “heard” is akouō, which can refer to “the physiological process of hearing a sound” or to “the process of understanding spoken ideas.”

“Without a preacher” is translated from chōris kērussontos. Chōris means “at a space from” or “separate from” and kērussontos is a form of kērussō, which we saw back in verse eight means, “to proclaim or herald as a public crier would do.” It is expressed in this verse as a present participle, literally meaning “preaching.” Thus, we see that Paul says, “How shall they hear apart from preaching?”

Meaning Explained

Previously we pointed out that Paul was seen as a traitor by many Jews who believed that he deserted the Jews and the adherence to the Law as the way to righteousness, and that he had turned to the way of the Gentiles. Paul, himself, will say in the next chapter of this letter that he was called to be the Apostle (one sent with a message) to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). But he has been demonstrating in this chapter that salvation and righteousness are through faith, which belongs both to the Jews and the Gentiles. And in the previous verse he proclaimed, “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Since that “whoever” includes the Gentiles, he now makes the point that the Gentiles need to hear the gospel message. He says, in order to call on Him they have to believe first, and in order to believe they have to hear the good news, and the only way they will hear the good news is through the preaching. This is the very crux of Paul’s ministry, preaching the gospel message to the Gentiles so they can believe.

The Jews have had the Law and the Prophets proclaiming the gospel message to them for centuries (as Paul has just demonstrated), but the Gentiles have been denied these sources so they need someone to proclaim the message of salvation to them. However, Paul is not the only one who is supposed to proclaim the blessed news of salvation by grace through faith. All of us who possess the gift of eternal life have an obligation to proclaim the news to those around us. It is the gospel (the good news) that is offered to all of mankind!

Application

If you have recognized your sinful condition, humbling yourself before the mighty hand of God, and appealing to Him for the salvation that you don’t deserve, then you now have an obligation to share this truth with others. Have you shared this message with someone else recently? Don’t think it is someone else’s responsibility to share the Gospel message. It’s yours!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 7:9 – Understanding Produces Guilt

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Will

Romans 7:9

I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.

Truth to Learn

Without an understanding of what sin is, we feel innocent of it, but when we understand what it is, we realize our guilt.

Behind the Words

The word translated “alive” is dzaō, which means “to have life.” In early Greek writings this word was rarely used except in the present or past imperfect tense (I am alive or I was alive). For the other tenses, the verb bioō was used. This verb means “to spend one’s existence or to pass one’s life.” It is from this verb that we derive our English word “biography,” the narrative of how one spent his life.

The word “without” is translated from the adverb chōris, which means “separately or apart from.”

Meaning Explained

Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, He was buried as proof of His death, and He rose again as proof of His righteousness.

Application

Do you believe that you are a sinner in need of salvation? Do you believe that Christ died to pay the penalty for your sins?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

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