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Romans 11:24 – Comfort or Zeal?

Posted on September 4, 2018 by Will

For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a good olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Truth to Learn

Time is running out to show the fervency of our faith.

Behind the Words

The words “nature” and “natural” are from the Greek word phusis, which is derived from the verb phuō, meaning “to bring forth,” that is, “to give birth.” Phusis refers to the order of things which God has put in place in the natural world.

Meaning Explained

This verse is a summary statement of what Paul has been saying for the past seven verses. I don’t think I could express the meaning of this verse any better than Albert Barnes has in his Notes on the New Testament. Here’s what he said:

The meaning of this whole verse may be thus expressed; “If God had mercy on the Gentiles, who were outcasts from his favor, shall he not much rather on those who were so long his people, to whom had been given the promises, and the covenants, and the Law, whose ancestors had been so many of them his friends, and among whom the Messiah was born?” In some respects, there are facilities among the Jews for their conversion, which had not existed among the Gentiles. They worship one God; they admit the authority of revelation; they have the Scriptures of the Old Testament; they expect a Messiah; and they have a habit of professed reverence for the will of God.

There was a time when the fervency and passion for God among the Christian Church was as great as that of the Jewish people. However, in the past century the Christian Church has become comfortable, satisfied, and complacent. I think God’s message to the church in Laodicea written in the 3^rd chapter of the book of The Revelation can be applied to many of our churches today. Here’s what He says:

And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write, “These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing”'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked’” (Revelation 3:14-17)

The day is coming, and now is, in which those who profess to be God’s people will be more concerned with earthly pleasures than with a close personal relationship with the God of all creation. We are more focused on exercising our own will than on seeking and submitting to God’s will for our lives.

Application

Are you comfortable in your Christian faith today? Are you satisfied with where you are in your walk with God? If so, I urge you to pray that God would light a fire of fervency in your spirit and create in you a searing zeal for serving Him in whatever manner He desires! Submit to Him and serve Him with all your heart. Please, I beg of you!

In God's service, for His glory,

James 1:24 – Absentminded Professor

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Will

for he studied himself, has gone away, and immediately forgot what kind of person he was.

Truth to Learn

Hearing or reading God’s Word will have no effect on our lives unless we put it into practice.

Behind the Words

In the previous verse we looked at the word for face. But the translation of that verse said, “natural face.” The word translated “natural” is the Greek word genesis. This is derived from the verb ginomai, which means “to begin to be” or “to come into existence.” Hence, James is talking about our “beginning face,” or our “birth face.” Hence, it means our “natural face.”

The word “studied” is translated from the verb katanoeō. This same word was used in the previous verse. The difference is that the tense of this verb here is aorist, meaning an action that took place at a point in time in the past. That is, “he studied.”

“Has gone away” is from the Greek word aperchomai, which means “to go away” or “to depart.” The significance here is that this word appears in the perfect tense implying past completed action with an ongoing effect, the emphasis being on the effect. He is now in a place away from the mirror.

The word translated “forgot” is epilanthanō, which is made up of epi, meaning “upon” and lanthano, meaning “to lie hidden or concealed.” The significance here, again, is that this verb is in the aorist tense implying past action; that is to say he forgot.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse James talked about the one who hears the word but does not practice it. James said he is like a person studying his face in a mirror. In this verse he finishes the simile by saying, “For he studied himself, went away, and immediately forgot what kind of person he was.”

It is good for us to read and study the Bible and to listen to preaching and teaching taken directly from God’s Word. But, if we don’t apply the word (put into practice what we read and hear), we forget what it said to us and it does us no good.

Christ himself, in the parable of the sower and the seed, said:

The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. (Mark 4:14-19)

Application

Don’t let the busyness of this life, the cares of the world, or “stuff” rob us of the joy that comes from putting into practice the things we are taught in God’s Word!

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 2:14 – The Truth Revealed

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Will

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Truth to Learn

Christians understand the Bible because of the Holy Spirit.

Behind the Words

The word translated “natural” is psuchikos, which is based on psuchō, meaning “to breathe” or “to blow.” In this sense, psuchikos is very similar to pneumatikos (like a blast of air or a breeze). The distinction is between a natural breath and a spiritual breath. In Greek writings, man is distinguished from animals in that he has a psuchē (often translated as “soul”), the ability to reason and communicate. In the New Testament, especially here, psuchē (soul) is distinguished from pneuma (spirit), in that the latter implies the ability to reason and communicate in the realm of the divine.

“Receive” is from dechomai, which means “to take to oneself that which is offered by someone else.” The closest English words to translate dechomai are “accept” or “receive.”

Dunamai is the Greek word translated “can.” It refers to the ability or power to do something.

The word “know” is from ginōskō, which can mean “to come to know” or “to understand.” The expression “nor can he know” in today’s verse could be translated as “he does not have the ability to understand.”

“Discerned” is from anakrinō. This word fundamentally means “to examine” or “to scrutinize.” In a judicial sense, it is used of examining a witness in order to determine the facts.

Meaning Explained

In this chapter, Paul is defending his style of preaching and teaching, showing the distinction between his style and the style of the leaders and orators of the world system. In verse two he says, “my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”

Then, in yesterday’s verse, he said that his own words were not words of man’s wisdom, but those which the Holy Spirit of God teaches. Now he explains why the preaching of the truth from God’s word is looked on by the world around us as foolishness. In this verse and the next, he declares that there are two types of people in this world: “the natural man” (literally “a natural man”) and “he who is spiritual.” A natural man is someone who does not believe that Jesus Christ is God or that His death on the cross paid for our sins (he’s not a Christian).

Because he does not believe in this truth, a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God. Instead, the things taught by the Holy Spirit are foolishness to him. Notice that Paul does not say that they seem like foolishness, but that they are foolishness. He also teaches us why such things are foolishness to unsaved people. A natural man does not have the ability to know (or understand) spiritual truths because such truths can only be examined and ascertained by the Spirit who lives within us (the Holy Spirit of God).

Application

Have you ever been reading your Bible not understanding what it was saying? Did you pray to God to reveal the spiritual truths being taught there? When was the last time you thanked God for revealing the truth to you?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 11:24 – Comfort or Zeal?

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Will

Romans 11:24 – Comfort or Zeal?

For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Truth to Learn

Time is running out to show the fervency of our faith.

Behind the Words

Meaning Explained

And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, “These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing”’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked’” (Revelation 3:14-17)

Application

In God’s service, for His glory,

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