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Romans 11:20 – Faith and Fear

Posted on August 29, 2018 by Will

Well said. In unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be high-minded, but fear.

Truth to Learn

Salvation should not produce pride, but reverential fear.

Behind the Words

“Well said” is translated from the Greek word kalōs, meaning “well, justly, or aptly.” It is as if Paul is agreeing with this objection. We could paraphrase this as “Very well then.”

The words translated “unbelief” and “faith” in this verse are closely related. The word translated “unbelief” is apistia, which is a compound word made up of a, meaning “not or without” and a form of pistis, meaning “faith or belief.” It is based on the verb peithō, meaning “to persuade or to win over.” Hence, pistis is the condition of having been convinced of a truth so that the person now believes the truth. The word translated “faith” is pistis. So you see Paul is making a contrast between the apistia (lack of faith) and pistis (having faith).

“Stand” is from histēmi, meaning “to stand upright, to stand in place, or to stand firm.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense, which indicates a past completed action with an ongoing effect, but the emphasis is on the ongoing effect. In other words, in the past we stood because of faith and, as a result, we are in an ongoing condition of standing because of faith.

The word translated “high-minded” is the Greek word, hupsēlophronō, which is a compound word made up of hupselos, meaning “high, in place or character” and a form of phroneō, meaning “to think” or “to be of a certain mind.” In today’s English it means “haughty, arrogant, or puffed up.”

Meaning Explained

Paul starts off this verse with “Well said.” It is as if Paul is agreeing with the objection expressed in the previous verse. He goes on to state the part that he does agree with, and then he will give a word of caution about this type of thinking.

Paul agrees that the Jews were rejected for not believing and that we stand because we believe. But he then gives this warning, “Do not be high-minded, but fear.” His warning is that we should not become arrogant, thinking that we are something special because God chose to graft us into the olive tree; instead, we should be filled with reverential fear. Paul will explain why in the next verse.

Because we believe that we are sinners and that Jesus Christ gave his perfect, sinless life on our behalf, God has declared us to be as righteous as Christ. Through this righteousness we are seen by God as sinless, He has adopted us as His sons and daughters, and we are guaranteed eternal life instead of eternal damnation in hell, which is what we deserve because of our sinfulness. We would not have believed these truths and we would not be partakers of His holiness had the Jews accepted Jesus as the Messiah when He offered Himself to them.

Because of our sin nature, we are prone to believe ourselves something special because of God’s free gift of salvation. And, because others rejected God’s truth, we are prone to believe that they are less than we are.

Application

Let us once again take stock of our own unworthiness and the blessing of God’s grace. Let our gratefulness be shown in giving all we have to and for Him. Let us humble ourselves before our Lord and Master, for He is worthy!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 10:3 – Completely Submitted

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Will

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, did not submit to God’s righteousness.

Truth to Learn

Righteousness comes by submitting your will to the will of Almighty God.

Behind the Words

The word translated “ignorant” is agnoeō, which is a compound word made up of a, indicating “not” and noeō, meaning “to perceive or understand.”

The word translated “establish” is histēmi, meaning “to stand.” By application, it also means “to make something to stand in place” or “to establish something.”

“Submit” is a form of the word hupotassō, which is a compound word made up of hupo or hypo, meaning “under” or “beneath” and tasso, which means “to place in an orderly manner.” It is a military term which means “to place oneself under the authority of someone else.” This word does not imply that someone is forcibly put under the authority of another, rather a voluntary placing of oneself under the command and authority of another.

Meaning Explained

Paul now explains what he meant in the previous verse when he said that his Jewish brothers had a zeal for God but not according to knowledge. He starts off this verse by stating that they were ignorant of God’s righteousness. The Israelites did not understand God’s righteousness or the fact that we cannot attain God’s righteousness because we are spiritually flawed by our sin nature.

He then goes on to say, not only did the Israelites not understand God’s righteousness, they also tried to establish their own form of righteousness based on what the Law told them to do. They firmly, even zealously, believed that by keeping the whole Law they could become as righteous as God Himself.

But, as Paul will tell us in the next few verses, there is only one person who can completely fulfill the Law, and that is Jesus Christ. The reason that Christ was able to keep the whole Law is twofold. First of all, he doesn’t have a sin nature and secondly, because He is God, he cannot sin.

Finally, Paul tells us in this verse that the Israelites could not obtain the righteousness of God because they have not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness. These Israelites who had a great zeal for God were trying to obtain that righteousness by their own means instead of humbling themselves before God and allowing Him to grant His righteousness to them.

There are many professed Christians today who are still trying to earn righteousness when what they need to do is to submit themselves to God. Instead of working hard to obtain righteousness we need to submit to God’s will and receive His righteousness by grace.

Application

Are you still trying to obtain your own righteousness by obeying all the rules and ordinances of your church? Or are you humbled before the hand of Almighty God and completely submitted to His will?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 5:2 – Glorious Access

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Will

through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Truth to Learn

We have access to God’s grace and look forward to being in His presence.

Behind the Words

The word translated “access” is prosagōgē, which is made up of pros, meaning “to or toward” and a form of agō, which means “to lead, to bring, or to come.” Hence, prosagōgē means “bring near or access.” The concept of access has two aspects to it. The first is the ability to get somewhere or to have something and the other is the authority or right to get somewhere or to have something. This Greek word means both, but the emphasis is on the latter, the authority.

“Have” is translated from the Greek word echo, which means “to have, as if to hold in one’s hand.” In other words, the access we just described is something which we possess. This possession is even more significant because echo is expressed in the perfect tense. This particular tense has no direct equivalent in English. It signifies a completed past action with a resultant ongoing state of being, the primary emphasis being on the ongoing state of being. In other words, this privilege of access is something we now possess as a result of something already completed. We no longer have to do anything to gain it or to continue to possess it. It is ours to keep!

“Stand” is translated from the Greek verb histēmi, which means “to stand.” It is also expressed in the Greek perfect tense indicating that we stood in the past and as a result we are now standing.

The word “hope” is translated from elpis, which we have looked at before. It means “hope, with confident expectation of receiving that which is hoped for.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse we noted that one result of our being justified by grace is that we are at peace with God. If you haven’t thought much about that since reading the previous verse, think about it now. You have a relationship of peace with the God of all creation and the Judge of the world. That is a marvelous thing! That peace is through Jesus Christ who is now our Lord, that is to say, our master, our owner. We belong to Him because He has paid for us with His blood.

Most people in the world today very much value freedom and don’t like to think about being owned by anyone or anything. We want to be our own lord and we don’t want to bow to anyone else. God’s lordship over us, however, has some wonderful benefits, one of which is identified in the current verse. Because Jesus Christ is our Lord, this verse says that we “have access by faith into this grace …”

We now have access to God’s grace bestowed upon us: this free gift of salvation. And, although we didn’t (and still don’t) deserve it; salvation is freely given to us. It is ours to keep. As a result we rejoice! That’s what Paul says. We rejoice in the hope (remember that means confident expectation) of the glory of God. We rejoice because we are confident that we will be bathed in God’s glory as a result of our being in His presence, knowing that He is our Lord, not our Judge!

Application

Let us rejoice! Not only do we no longer fear the wrath of a righteous God, we actually look forward to being in His presence as our Lord! How great is God’s grace through which righteousness is imputed to us when we believe His promise!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 3:31 – Not Useless, Set Firm

Posted on October 20, 2017 by Will

Do we then make the law void through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Truth to Learn

Living by faith upholds the law, it doesn’t destroy it.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “we make … void” is a form of the verb katargeō. This is a compound word made up of kata, used as an intensifier and argeō, meaning “to be idle.” Hence, this verb means “to render completely idle, useless, or ineffective.”

“Certainly not!” is from the Greek words mē genoito, which we have looked at before. The word mē represents a qualified negation (ou represents absolute negation) and genoito means “to cause to be.” Therefore, a literal translation of these two words is “May it not be!”

The verb translated “we establish” is a form of histēmi, meaning “to cause to stand” or “to establish.”

Meaning Explained

This rhetorical question is one of transition for the Apostle Paul. He knows that any devout Jew would be spiritually put off balance by his previous arguments because the Jews have been taught from childhood that obeying the Law is the only way to be justified. They would very likely be asking themselves, “But what about the Law? Does it mean nothing?” There are even those people today who say that justification by faith only leads to licentiousness because it does away with the Law (both the Law of Moses and the moral law).

Paul does not agree. In fact, he declares, “May it not be!” He realizes that justification by faith alone not only does not negate the Law, in fact it establishes it as true and right. You see, by the Law God demonstrated that there is a penalty to be paid for sin and that the Law had to be satisfied in order for anyone to be justified. Jesus Christ came to show that only He could perfectly satisfy the law and that He is the fulfillment of the Law. He is the Passover lamb. He is the lamb without spot or blemish that was demanded by the Law to be the offering in payment for sins. He, the One who satisfied the Law, is the only offering that could be made to pay for our sins. And His payment is made possible to us only if we believe that He is the sinless Lamb of God who has given Himself in payment for our sins. We can’t satisfy the Law by obedience to it but by faith in the one who did satisfy it.

This is precisely what Paul is showing to the Jewish Christians in Rome and to all Christians throughout the ages. When we believe Jesus Christ died on the cross as our Lord and Savior, we are justified by faith, and we actually establish the Law as good and right and holy.

Having now satisfied the assertion that the Law is good and right, in the coming chapter Paul will proceed to use the patriarch Abraham as the example of righteousness by faith apart from the Law. After all, Abraham was declared righteous by God some three hundred years before Moses received the law on Mt. Sinai. Abraham was even declared righteous by God years before the sign of circumcision.

Application

When we get saved by faith, we aren’t required to keep the law or rules of a church in order to stay saved. Instead, we are to walk by faith, doing the good works that God has ordained for us to do as His children and ambassadors. Do your actions and good works reflect the glory of your Heavenly Father?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 6:14 – Truth and Righteousness

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Will

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Truth to Learn

Truth and righteousness are two of the key pieces of our armor.

Behind the Words

“Stand” is translated from the Greek word histēmi, meaning “to stand.” It is expressed here in the imperative mood, indicating that it is a command.

The words “having girded” are from the Greek verb peridzonumi, which is composed of peri, meaning “around” or “about” and dzonnumi, meaning “to bind about” or “wrap around.” Thus, this word means to “wrap all the way around.” It is expressed here in the middle voice indicating something that you do to yourself.

“Having put on” is translated from enduō, which we saw back in verse eleven. Like peridzonumi, it is expressed in the middle voice, indicating something you do to yourself. Also, these two words are both expressed as aorist participles, indicating that “having girded” and “having put on” are things we are to have already done before we try to stand against the enemy.

The word “breastplate” is translated from thōraka, which literally refers to “the chest.” It is also used metaphorically to refer to the piece of armor which covers the chest and back.

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul has just informed us that we are in a spiritual, hand-to-hand battle with the forces of evil. We learned that this battle is one in which we are one-on-one against these spirit beings. They are part of Satan’s forces and they are opposed to God and anyone who aligns himself or herself with God. So, if you are a Christian, whether you like it or not, you are one of God’s soldiers engaged in warfare against evil.

The first thing we learn from today’s verse is that we are to battle from a standing position. In yesterday’s verse we learned that we are to “stand against” our adversary. As we take on the enemy, we are not to flee and we are not to yield ground. We are to stand firm. But before we stand against the enemy, we need to have our armor properly put in place.

Our first piece of armor is our belt. It is the foundation of our armor. Without it, our breastplate will not stay in place. So, what is our belt? It is truth! Truth is the foundation of our Christian faith. It is the truth of the gospel message that we believed in which secured our salvation. It is God’s truth, as revealed in the Bible, that we are to build our armor and our lives on.

Once we have wrapped ourselves with the belt of truth, we can put on our breastplate of righteousness. In the book of Romans we learned the truth that none of us is righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10). But we also learned in the third chapter of Romans that we received the righteousness of Christ when we believed the gospel message. According to James 2:23 righteousness was credited to Abraham when he believed. In the same way, when we believed the gospel of our salvation, God declared us to be as righteous as Jesus Christ in His record book. In God’s eyes, every Christian is just as righteous as Jesus Christ.

Application

In order to use the truth, we have to know the truth. The best way to learn God’s truth is to read your Bible, not occasionally, but regularly and consistently. Learn God’s truth and learn about the righteousness that we have in Christ.

In God's service, for His glory,

Matthew 2:9 – Diligently Seek Him

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Will

And having heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they saw in the East went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was.

Truth to Learn

Let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. (1Chronicles 16:10)

Behind the Words

The words “having heard” are from akouō, which literally means “to hear” or “to listen to.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it literally means “having heard.”

“Departed” is from the verb poreuomai, which means “to go from one place to another.”

Idou is the Greek word translated “behold.” It is an imperative (command) form of horaō, which means “to stare at.” In today’s English, we might say, “Look!”

The words “went before” are from proagō, which is made up of pro, meaning “before” or “forth” and agō, meaning “to lead” or “to go.” Thus proagō means “to lead forth” or “to go before.” It is expressed here in the imperfect tense, indicating continuous action in the past. It could be translated as “it began leading them” or “it was going before them.”

The words “stood over” are translated from the Greek words estathē epanō. Estathē is a form of the verb histēmi, which means “to stand” and epanō means “above” or “over.”

“Child” is translated from the Greek noun paidion, which is derived from pais, meaning “a child.” It denotes a baby, but it is different from the word used in Luke 2:16, where he referred to a brephos, meaning “a new born child.”

Meaning Explained

In this quest for the true King, we find three types of people in this narrative who represent unsaved people even today. If you read verses four through nine, you find Herod, who was opposed to the new born King, the chief priests and the scribes (the “religious” people) who ignored the new born King, and the magi who were zealously seeking the new born King in order to worship Him.

Once the magi knew where to find the King, they immediately set out to find Him. They had left the comforts of their homes and set out on a quest for the true King. God had already spoken to them through scripture (prophesy) and the diligence of their own profession about how to find the King. Upon leaving Herod, they were once again guided by the star, which implies that it was evening or even night when they left Herod.

There has been a lot of speculation as to the nature of the star the magi followed. Some claim it was a comet, while others claim that it was a supernova (a star exploding) or even a conjunction of several planets lining up in the sky. However, none of these fully explain how they could have been guided to a specific spot within the town of Bethlehem. We don’t need a full scientific explanation of what occurred that night. We simply need to believe what the Bible tells us (and not worry about what it doesn’t tell us). What we do know is that God somehow provided just the guidance these seekers needed in order to find the true King.

The same applies today for those who are whole-heartedly searching for the truth. For unsaved people who are searching for truth, God will miraculously guide them to just the right place or person that they need in order to meet our Savior. And — for Christians who are honestly seeking a closer walk with God, He is ever faithful and always available.

Application

Many Christians who have been saved for years have forgotten how exciting it is to have a personal relationship with God. Others are hungry for that close fellowship and walk with God on a daily basis and are diligently seeking Him. So, let me ask you, my friend; Are you like Herod, trying to disprove the truth and destroy faith that others have in Christ, or – are you like the chief priests and scribes, simply ignoring the messages that God is sending you, or – are you like the Magi, diligently seeking Him, eager for a closer walk with your Savior, your God?

In God's service, for His glory,

James 5:9 – Grumbling Judgment

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Will

Do not murmur against one another, brothers, that you be not condemned. Behold, the Judge stands before the door!

Truth to Learn

Complaining about other Christians does not please God.

Behind the Words

The word translated “murmur” is the Greek word stenadzō. This is based on the adjective stenos, meaning “narrow” or “squeezed” as when one is squeezed by circumstances. Hence, stenadzō is the action that results from being squeezed, that is, to “sigh, groan, grumble, or complain.” The idea in James’ use of the word is that of complaining about someone else’s fortunate circumstances or complaining against someone else.

The words “one another” are from allēlōn, meaning “each other, yourselves, or one another.” James’ use of this word, immediately followed by “brothers,” indicates that he is talking about a Christian grumbling against another brother or sister in Christ.

“Condemned” is another of those words we have looked at recently, meaning “to pass judgment down against” or “to condemn.”

The word “stands” is translated from the Greek verb histēmi, meaning “to stand.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense, indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect, where the emphasis is on the ongoing effect.

Meaning Explained

We, as Christians, should never be discontent when a brother or sister receives a blessing from God. Likewise, we should never speak against a brother or sister because of a position they have. Instead, we should rejoice that a child of God has been blessed by the Father.

Nonetheless, our carnal nature is often envious or even jealous of other Christians and we compensate for it by speaking against them. James says that this should not be so. When we do grumble against, or complain about, each other, we are really condemning ourselves. Back in James 4:11, 12 we were told:

Do not speak against one another, brothers. The one speaking against his brother and judging his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver and Judge, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you who judging your neighbor?

When we grumble against a brother or sister in Christ, we are usurping the position of judge, which belongs to God and God alone. That’s why James reminds us here that, “the Judge is standing before the door.” In other words, he hears our words and is coming soon, as we were told in the previous verse.

It’s bad enough when an unsaved person speaks against Christians; we should not do likewise. Instead, we should be building up one another, as it says in Hebrews 10:25,

…but encouraging one another; and so much the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Application

The next time you are tempted to say something negative about a fellow Christian, imagine that Jesus is standing next to you. In the light of His holiness and your sinfulness, are you still willing to say what you were about to regarding your brother or sister in Christ?

Instead of being grumblers and tearing down the body of Christ, let us be encouragers, and build it up!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 6:14 – Truth and Righteousness

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Will

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Truth to Learn

Truth and righteousness are two of the key pieces of our armor.

Behind the Words

“Stand” is translated from the Greek word histēmi, meaning “to stand.” It is expressed here in the imperative mood, indicating that it is a command.

The word “breastplate” is translated from thōraka, which literally refers to “the chest.” It is also used metaphorically to refer to the piece of armor which covers the chest and back.

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul has just informed us that we are in a spiritual wrestling match with the forces of evil. We learned that this wrestling match is one in which we are one-on-one against these spirit beings. They are part of Satan’s forces and they are opposed to God and anyone who aligns himself or herself with God. So, if you are a Christian, whether you like it or not, you are one of God’s soldiers engaged in warfare against evil.

Once we have on the belt of truth, we can put on our breastplate of righteousness. In the book of Romans we learned the truth that none of us is righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10). But we also learned in the third chapter of Romans that we received the righteousness of Christ when we believed the gospel message. According to James 2:23, righteousness was credited to Abraham when he believed. In the same way, when we believed the gospel of our salvation, God declared us to be as righteous as Jesus Christ in His record book.

Application

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 11:20 – Faith and Fear

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Will

Romans 11:20 – Faith and Fear

Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.

Truth to Learn

Salvation should not produce pride, but reverential fear.

Behind the Words

“Well said” is translated from the Greek word kalōs, meaning “well, justly, or aptly.” It is as if Paul is agreeing with this objection. We could paraphrase this as “Very well then.”

The word translated “haughty” is the Greek word, hupsēlophronō, which is a compound word made up of hupselos, meaning “high, in place or character” and a form of phroneō, meaning “to think” or “to be of a certain mind.” “Haughty” would literally be translated as “high minded.” In today’s English it means “haughty, arrogant, or puffed up.”

Meaning Explained

Paul starts off this verse with “Well said.” It is as if Paul is agreeing with the objection expressed in the previous verse. Now he goes on to state the part that he does agree with, and then he will give a word of caution about this type of thinking.

Paul agrees that the Jews were rejected for not believing and that we stand because we believe. But he then gives this warning, “Do not be haughty, but fear.” His warning is that we should not become arrogant, thinking that we are something special because God chose to graft us into the olive tree; instead, we should be filled with reverential fear. Paul will explain why in the next verse.

Application

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

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Romans 10:3 – Completely Submitted

Posted on September 26, 2010 by Will

Romans 10:3 – Completely Submitted

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

Truth to Learn

Righteousness only comes by voluntarily submitting your will to the will of Almighty God.

Behind the Words

The word translated “ignorant” is agnoeō, which is a compound word made up of a, indicating “not” and noeō, meaning “to perceive or understand.”

The word translated “establish” is histēmi, meaning “to stand.” By application, it also means “to make something to stand in place” or “to establish something.”

“Submitted” is a form of the word hupotassō, which is a compound word made up of hupo or hypo, meaning “under” or “beneath” and tasso, which means “to place in an orderly manner.” It is a military term which means “to place oneself under the authority of someone else.” This word does not imply that someone is forcibly put under the authority of another, rather a voluntary placing of oneself under the command and authority of another.

Meaning Explained

But, as Paul will tell us in the next few verses, there is only one person who can completely fulfill the Law and that is Jesus Christ. The reason that Christ was able to keep the whole Law is twofold. First of all, he doesn’t have a sin nature and secondly, because He is God, he cannot sin.

Application

Are you still trying to obtain your own righteousness by obeying all the rules and ordinances of your church? Or are you humbled before the hand of Almighty God and completely submitted to His will?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

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