DAY 218
THEREFORE
Psalm 68 & 69 and Romans 8:1-21
“Therefore” begins
our eighth chapter, it is a “therefore” that is aimed at all that has been written
before, all seven chapters. All that we have written culminates in “There is
therefore no condemnation now for those who are in Christ Jesus.” If yesterday
we were pondering whether or not we were “wretched,” then today we reach the
zenith of all Paul has been driving at…full acceptance by God for those who are
in Christ.
Paul has been
focused on sin and law. In fact in chapter seven he refers to the law and its
synonyms 31 times, and the Spirit only once. Whereas in chapter eight, in the
first twenty-seven verses he refers the Spirit 19 times. The point is clear,
the law is weak and there is power in the Spirit.
Yet, as we read
about the Spirit we see him making the same point…that being our security in
Christ. Today’s blog is a short entry. If you think Paul has been a bit heavy,
well he has. Today however, let me suggest you just bask in the “therefore” and
enjoy life in the Spirit…we’ll unpack chapter 8 a bit more tomorrow.
SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU
ReplyDeleteChristians like to state that they are sinners saved by grace. Christians should say I was a sinner saved by grace. To proclaim, I am a sinner, suggests that no repentance has taken place. Christians are not supposed to maintain the same sinful lifestyle they had before they had their sins washed by the blood of Christ.
THE APOSTLE PAUL SPEAKING TO CHRISTIANS
1 Corinthians 6:1-11....9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived;
neither fornicators
nor idolaters
nor effeminate
nor homosexuals
nor thieves
not the covetous
nor drunkards
nor revilers
nor swindlers
will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Notice Paul said these Christians were sinners. Paul did not say they are sinners. Paul was not handing out sin permits to the Christians at Corinth. It was the exact opposite. Paul was saying that the Christians who continue to practice a sinful lifestyle would not enter into the kingdom of God.
Yes, Christians do sin, however, Christians should not be sinners. Christians should have had all the, sin practice, they needed before they became Christians. Do you honestly believe Christians can live an entire life practicing fornication and still enter the kingdom of God?
Ephesians 2:1-5.....3 Among them we too all formerly lived in lust of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.......
Christians should be, formerly sinners, saved by grace. Christians should not be current sinners expecting to be saved by grace!
OF COURSE CHRISTIANS WHO SIN CAN BE FORGIVEN. THE QUESTION IS CAN CHRISTIANS WHO LIVE AN UNREPENTANT SINFUL LIFESTYLE EXPECT TO SEE THEIR NAMES WRITTEN IN THE LAMBS BOOK OF LIFE?
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