it is written – Ministry of Grace Church

Romans 8:36 – His Targeted Children

As it is written: “For your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Truth to Learn

The reason that faithful Christians suffer in this life is not because of disobedience, but because of family lineage.

Behind the Words

The word translated “it is written” is the Greek verb graphō, which literally means “to engrave.” By modern application it means “to write.” It is expressed in the Greek perfect tense, which implies past completed action with an ongoing effect, but the emphasis is on the effect.

Meaning Explained

Paul has just asked the rhetorical question, “What shall separate us from the love of Christ?” He then listed a number of afflictions that can occur to man. He now seems to abruptly change thought and quotes a passage from the Old Testament (Psalms 44:22). If you read through the 44^th Psalm, however, you will see that it is neither abrupt nor a change of thought.

In Psalms 44 the writer is recounting first the way that GOD has fought for the Israelites and how their enemies have been scattered. In the second part of this Psalm, he recounts the shame suffered by the Israelites when God apparently abandoned them. The third portion of this Psalm is the author’s commitment to God in spite of the calamities that have overtaken them. At that point the writer of Psalms 44 proclaimed:

“Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

The reason for the afflictions of the Jewish people was (and is) not because of sin; rather, it is because they are the chosen people of GOD.

That’s the point that Paul is making here and the reason that he quotes this Old Testament passage. In the previous verse he recited a number of afflictions that befall Christians today. He is saying now that the reason for these afflictions is not because of disobedience or sin, it is because we are obedient, and we are the children of GOD. That’s the reason we are (and will be) attacked by our enemy.

Keep in mind what Christ told His disciples in John’s gospel:

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. (John 15:18-20)

Application

We will suffer in this life because we are Christians! In fact, the greater our testimony, the more likely it is that we will suffer. Paul, however, is about to offer a word of encouragement and a glorious truth for us all to know when we are in the midst of those trials.

The key to understanding Christian persecution and suffering is not to focus on what we have done, but what He has done – and what He will always do.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

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Romans 3:10

As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;

Truth to Learn

None of us meets God’s standard of righteousness.

Behind the Words

The words “it is written” are translated from a single Greek verb, graphō. This word literally means “to engrave,” that is, “to write.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense. This tense in Greek indicates past completed action with an ongoing effect, but the emphasis is on the effect. Hence, we could express this as “It has been written and, therefore, is now in writing.”

“Righteous” is from the Greek word dikaios. It is based on the word dikē, which originally referred to a tendency. Gradually, this word came to mean “an established standard or custom.” So, dikaios refers to someone who has met an expected standard. The standard referred to here is God’s standard of behavior, always doing what is right.

Meaning Explained

Don’t you just hate it when someone starts quoting Scripture at you, especially when you know they’re right? Well, that’s just what Paul is doing here. He is talking to Jewish Christians in Rome who very likely know the Law and the Prophets (what we call The Old Testament). He has been skillfully showing them that whether they are Jews or not they are no better in God’s eyes than anyone else. He now drops the other shoe!

He is quoting from both Psalms 14 and Psalms 53, which are nearly identical. His quotation, which comprises verse ten through eighteen, is really a chain of quotations and paraphrases. Here’s what Psalms 53 says:

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. Every one of them has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one. (Psalms 53:1-3)

Up to this point in Paul’s discourse it still would have been possible, though improbable, that some of his Jewish Christian readers might have thought themselves better than others and acceptable to God because of their lineage and their possession of the Scriptures. Now they have no leg to stand on, so to speak. Their own Scriptures clearly condemn everyone as having turned from God and having become wicked. Paul will use this and other scripture verses from the Old Testament to show these Jewish Christians that the Scriptures which had been entrusted to them by God declare even Jews to be without righteousness.

Application

Let us now stop here and consider that before accepting Christ as Savior, none of us could have stood before God innocent in any way because we haven’t measured up to His standard. When we believed His gospel message and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we were credited with the righteousness of Christ. Without this righteousness credited to our account we are all destined for hell!

In other words, without the blood of Christ, none of us deserves heaven, no not one!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

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Ministry of Grace Church

Tag: it is written

Romans 8:36 – His Targeted Children

Romans 8:36 – His Targeted Children

Truth to Learn

Behind the Words

Meaning Explained

Application

Romans 3:10 – No Not One!