fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399 
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Post by fearnot on Nov 15, 2016 12:03:39 GMT -5
11/15/16
Romans 3: 1-20
I just was saying its about God's faithfulness
and
Lo and behold today's reading is
God’s Faithfulness (and it even mentions circumcision)
and it goes on to
No One Is Righteous
I know my application might be understood as judging others, but really, I need to keep in mind EVERYONE is a sinner.
I know that...and yet,
I also continue to think myself the 'best' worst sinner
and find it hard to sometimes really truly grasp others as sinners ...
like the great Christians of Old...in my mind I know they were, but at the same time, it seems like they are so kind, loving, thoughtful, loving Jesus, studying His Word with such joy, fellow-shipping with Him etc. that its hard to see them as sinners.
yet, I know they may have moments of anger, depression, jealousy, envy, lust etc etc.
It is not to put them down, but to put a check on my self-centered being the worst sinner...
I need to keep in front of me that NONE are righteous...no not one!
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Post by Cindy on Nov 16, 2016 9:40:31 GMT -5
True...I knew that....but as always thank you for pointing it out.
I often get tripped up by forgetting, its all about God, and not about what I do, think, feel etc.
God never lies, is faithful, just and loving etc. etc.
11/15/16
Romans 3: 1-20
I just was saying its about God's faithfulness
and
Lo and behold today's reading is
God’s Faithfulness (and it even mentions circumcision)
and it goes on to
No One Is Righteous
I know my application might be understood as judging others, but really, I need to keep in mind EVERYONE is a sinner.
I know that...and yet,
I also continue to think myself the 'best' worst sinner
and find it hard to sometimes really truly grasp others as sinners ...
like the great Christians of Old...in my mind I know they were, but at the same time, it seems like they are so kind, loving, thoughtful, loving Jesus, studying His Word with such joy, fellow-shipping with Him etc. that its hard to see them as sinners.
yet, I know they may have moments of anger, depression, jealousy, envy, lust etc etc.
It is not to put them down, but to put a check on my self-centered being the worst sinner...
I need to keep in front of me that NONE are righteous...no not one!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 16, 2016 12:30:41 GMT -5
Once again, I've been wondering how Eva is doing....we haven't heard in awhile again.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 16, 2016 13:09:25 GMT -5
11/16/16
Romans 3: 21-31
Righteousness Through Faith
This is actually a good passage for me ( of course all the Bible is, but I mean with the issue I am dealing with now or forever)
But first I need to include v. 20
v. 20 "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin."
and v. 23
" for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
In my self-centered thinking I am the worst and others way more righteous, I am also forgetting
v. 27 that neither they ( as righteous) nor I ( boasting as the worst) can boast
"27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded."
So my application is to remember:
the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law."
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 17, 2016 14:18:57 GMT -5
11/17/16
Romans 4:1-25
Abraham Justified by Faith
v.3 “....Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
v. 5 "However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness".
v. 16 "..... the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace...."
My application comes from:
v. 21 "....being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised"
When doubt tries to attack me, I can be persuaded that God has the power to do what He has promised....
He is crediting me with righteousness—
having raised Jesus my Lord from the dead....
Jesus who was delivered over to death for my sins and was raised to life for my justification.
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Post by Cindy on Nov 18, 2016 11:44:57 GMT -5
Once again, I've been wondering how Eva is doing....we haven't heard in awhile again.
11/16/16
Romans 3: 21-31
Righteousness Through Faith
This is actually a good passage for me ( of course all the Bible is, but I mean with the issue I am dealing with now or forever)
But first I need to include v. 20
v. 20 "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin."
and v. 23
" for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
In my self-centered thinking I am the worst and others way more righteous, I am also forgetting
v. 27 that neither they ( as righteous) nor I ( boasting as the worst) can boast
"27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded."
So my application is to remember:
the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law."
11/17/16
Romans 4:1-25
Abraham Justified by Faith
v.3 “....Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
v. 5 "However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness".
v. 16 "..... the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace...."
My application comes from:
v. 21 "....being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised"
When doubt tries to attack me, I can be persuaded that God has the power to do what He has promised....
He is crediting me with righteousness—
having raised Jesus my Lord from the dead....
Jesus who was delivered over to death for my sins and was raised to life for my justification.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 18, 2016 16:07:37 GMT -5
Yes, that's really what I meant....I was quoting the scripture and didn't change it to "has" as in already has....I do that sometimes, but even so I also sometimes, don't get it and I need your correction/reminder, plus if someone should read it and they didn't know, it would be unfortunate to say the least.
I am wondering if Eva got the job and how long before she joins us again.....I miss her.
But you are right, she is probably just busy....moving is suppose to be something like the 2nd most stressful thing ( behind a death in the family, I think I read).
It is a big upheaval in any case and takes time to settle down again/
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 18, 2016 20:23:56 GMT -5
11/18/16
Romans 5:1-11
Peace and Hope
Before being saved people are at war with God, they hate Him and His Word, but when they are saved, born again, the war is ended and they are at peace with God.
We were powerless before to change the war but v. 8 is so beautiful, the greatest example of love:
v.8 " But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
And v. 3 is an application for me
v. 3
"....we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope."
When I am feeling down about suffering, I can take my thoughts captive and realize there is an upside to suffering.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 19, 2016 18:25:25 GMT -5
11/19/16
Romans 5: 12-21
Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
18 "Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.
19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous."
I must be tired as I am a little stuck on finding an application, other than understanding this passage, and remembering it.
If you think of one ....or 10 LOL feel free to post them.
I am always hurting and tired after cleaning ( which we did yesterday for landlord's vacation rental apt.).
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 20, 2016 15:38:55 GMT -5
11/20/16
Romans 6: 1-14
This passage has several applications already spelled out for me:
v.11 "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
( I remember some Christian or Christian Bible teacher, or Christian pastor, pointing out a dead body, is incapable of sinning)
v. 12 "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires."
This reminds me of a king and its slaves have to obey whatever the king desires, so our totally depravity and our body's evil desires, demand obedience .....unless we are saved and born again
v. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God
V.13 reminded me of how you have pointed out, it's not just the eliminating of sins, but that we ( I) have to replace it with something....
verse 13 is a good example of that principle.....
not to ....offer....and part of myself to sin
but rather
offer myself to God.
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Post by Cindy on Nov 21, 2016 10:10:51 GMT -5
Yes, that's really what I meant....I was quoting the scripture and didn't change it to "has" as in already has....I do that sometimes, but even so I also sometimes, don't get it and I need your correction/reminder, plus if someone should read it and they didn't know, it would be unfortunate to say the least.
I am wondering if Eva got the job and how long before she joins us again.....I miss her.
But you are right, she is probably just busy....moving is suppose to be something like the 2nd most stressful thing ( behind a death in the family, I think I read).
It is a big upheaval in any case and takes time to settle down again/
11/18/16
Romans 5:1-11
Peace and Hope
Before being saved people are at war with God, they hate Him and His Word, but when they are saved, born again, the war is ended and they are at peace with God.
We were powerless before to change the war but v. 8 is so beautiful, the greatest example of love:
v.8 " But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
And v. 3 is an application for me
v. 3
"....we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope."
When I am feeling down about suffering, I can take my thoughts captive and realize there is an upside to suffering.
11/19/16
Romans 5: 12-21
Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
18 "Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.
19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous."
I must be tired as I am a little stuck on finding an application, other than understanding this passage, and remembering it.
If you think of one ....or 10 LOL feel free to post them.
I am always hurting and tired after cleaning ( which we did yesterday for landlord's vacation rental apt.).
When sin entered the human race through Adam, all these aspects of death came with it. • Spiritual death or separation from God; • Physical death; • Eternal death (also called the 2nd death), which includes not only eternal separation from God, but eternal torment in the lake of fire. The MacArthur Bible handbook
Adam sinned, and as a result, every human being who has ever lived has been born with a fallen, or sinful, nature. You and I did not eat of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, but the representative head of the human race, Adam, did. With Adam as our representative we share the consequences of his sin (Rom. 5:12–21). In the same way, you and I have not lived a perfect life, died on the cross and risen again. Yet the blessing of the work of Christ is applied to all who believe. (Rom. 5:17). So we see that the sin of one man, Adam, brought death on all who were born from him. We see also that through the righteous act of one man, Jesus, life was given to all who were born not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit after Him. The sinful nature is passed on biologically as we are born into bodies which will deteriorate and die; spiritually, the sin nature is passed on in our predisposition to sin; and behaviorally, the sin nature is evidenced as we learn to model the behavior of our parents as we grow up. Christianity and change
The application is that we have no just cause to worry about our salvation since we did nothing to attain it in the first place. Jesus did the work for us.
“The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20–21)
Even though sin and death still reign in this world, God’s grace is also reigning through the righteousness of Christ. The Christian’s body is subject to death and his old nature tempts him to sin; but in Jesus Christ, he can “reign in life” because he is a part of the gracious kingdom of Christ. An OT story helps us understand the conflict between these 2 “reigns” in the world today. God rejected Saul as the king of Israel, & anointed David. Those who trusted David eventually shared his kingdom of peace & joy. Those who trusted Saul ended in shame & defeat. Like David, Jesus is God’s anointed King. Like Saul, Satan is still free to work in this world & seek to win men’s allegiance. Sin & death are reigning in the “old creation” over which Adam was the head, but grace & righteousness are reigning in “the new creation” over which Christ is the Head, & as we yield to Him, we “reign in life.” The Bible exposition commentary
Before his conversion, Paul (then known as Saul) persecuted the church mercilessly (see Acts 8:3 and 9:1–2). He was “a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor” (1 Tim. 1:13; see also Gal. 1:13). If anyone could be beyond grace, it was Paul. But God intervened and saved him (Acts 9:3–19). Why? “For this reason,” Paul says, “I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost [sinner], Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:16). If God would forgive Paul, He will forgive anyone who will confess their sins and repent. Don’t let your past sins weigh you down; learn to rest upon God’s super–abundant grace. Strength for today.
Salvation comes only when we receive by faith the gift of God’s grace. Hell will be full of people who tried to reach heaven some other way. “Love that gives upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace.” God has stooped to give us grace. Truth for today
11/20/16
Romans 6: 1-14
This passage has several applications already spelled out for me:
v.11 "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
( I remember some Christian or Christian Bible teacher, or Christian pastor, pointing out a dead body, is incapable of sinning)
v. 12 "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires."
This reminds me of a king and its slaves have to obey whatever the king desires, so our totally depravity and our body's evil desires, demand obedience .....unless we are saved and born again
v. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God
V.13 reminded me of how you have pointed out, it's not just the eliminating of sins, but that we ( I) have to replace it with something....
verse 13 is a good example of that principle.....
not to ....offer....and part of myself to sin
but rather
offer myself to God.
A Hebrew was always part of a larger group. What happened to the patriarch of the clan happened to you. You were united with him. If he suffered shame, so did you. If he won a victory, it was on your behalf. It would be as if you yourself had won. In a similar but even more profound way, Christ is our new Patriarch or King. Our previous head was Adam (Rom 5:12–21). His death was our own. All the good things we could possibly do were not enough to loose us from his legacy of condemnation. Only a new head, who demonstrated a new obedience and who died but could not be held down by death, could give us a death that leads to life. What Jesus experienced, we too experience. If he is honored, we are honored, If he dies, we die. Therefore, the apostle Paul can say that we died. We died to our old master. We died to the reign of sin. We died to the way of life of the old kingdom. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20). Heart of the matter
It is so easy to coast! We have been accepted into God’s family, and someday will be with him in eternity. But what goes on in between? From the time we come to Christ until the time we go home to be with him, God calls us to change. We have been changed by his grace, are being changed by his grace, and will be changed by his grace. What is the goal of this change? It is more than a better marriage, well-adjusted children, professional success, or freedom from a few nagging sins. God’s goal is that we would actually become like him. He doesn’t just want you to escape the fires of hell—though we praise God that through Christ you can! His goal is to free us from our slavery to sin, our bondage to self, and our functional idolatry, so that we actually take on his character! Peter summarizes the change this way: “Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4). Heart of the matter
God’s grace blows a hole in your self-contained kingdom, and in his redemptive love he reaches in and pulls you out, again and again. Paul says it this way: “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:13–14). On the cross Christ broke the power of the little kingdom. As God’s children we no longer live under the domination of the little kingdom. We have been freed from our imprisonment to ourselves. Once we were only able to desire, think, speak, and act in a self-focused way, but now grace has broken that slavery and welcomed us to a new and better way of living. Christ endured the awful suffering and death of the cross, not just to ensure your future with him in eternity, but to free you in the here and now to live for something more transcendent than your present definition of personal happiness. The cross smashed the dominant power of the shadow glories of creation over your heart and freed your heart to run after the transcendent glory that you will only find in him. Heart of the matter
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 21, 2016 12:53:17 GMT -5
The example of the baby being weaned and a Hebrew being a part of a larger group....but especially united under a King.....were really helpful.
It also reminds me of Christmas ( which is coming up....in that there is a different Baby/King.
Jesus as a baby didn't have the 'weaning' problem we do, ( at least I struggle with suffering but He chose it out of love)
and
He is certainly the only King to unite ourselves with!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 21, 2016 13:28:34 GMT -5
11/21/16
Romans: 6: 15-23
Slaves to Righteousness
My fervent hope is to become a slave to righteousness but first i was and on occasion still am a slave to sin.
However v.21 is so true concerning the 'reward' ( none) and result of being a slave to sin(s)
v. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!
The application for me is:
"...now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness"
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Post by Cindy on Nov 22, 2016 11:46:10 GMT -5
The example of the baby being weaned and a Hebrew being a part of a larger group....but especially united under a King.....were really helpful.
It also reminds me of Christmas ( which is coming up....in that there is a different Baby/King.
Jesus as a baby didn't have the 'weaning' problem we do, ( at least I struggle with suffering but He chose it out of love)
and
He is certainly the only King to unite ourselves with!  11/21/16
Romans: 15-23
Slaves to Righteousness
My fervent hope is to become a slave to righteousness but first i was and on occasion still am a slave to sin.
However v.21 is so true concerning the 'reward' ( none) and result of being a slave to sin(s)
v. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!
The application for me is:
"...now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness"
Sanctification is a matter of growing out of old ways while growing into new ones. Sanctification is taking place to enable us, day by day, to become in actuality more of what we are reckoned to be in Christ. We must become in ourselves (but not by ourselves) what we already are in Christ. Sanctification takes place as patterns of thinking & living change as one is “renewed by the Spirit” (Who is working) in his “mind”. In Eph 4:23, there are 2 key words (“mind” & “renewed”) and 1 key concept to understand (the Spirit changes us by changing our minds). The old, worn out, sinful ways of thinking (vs. 17) must be replaced by fresh, biblical ones. A theology of Christian counseling
MacArthur warns: Like a vicious animal, sin’s appetite only grows when it is fed (Genesis 4:7).
God’s holiness should startle us. All disobedience is personal. Our sin is not just against God’s law; it is against God. Any time we stray away from the kingdom of God, whether by following our own desires, following other gods, or imitating the Father of Lies, we provoke the jealous God to anger. His anger will accept only death as the appropriate penalty for treason (Deut 6:14–15). When we complain, we hold him in contempt. The white lies we tell are against the God of truth. The anger we display is murderous toward others and stands in judgment of God himself. And it is not just what we do that is so serious; it is also what we don’t do. We don’t love God and neighbor with our whole heart. In our spiritual indifference we can go for days thinking that our personal interests are paramount; that is, we forget God. When there is persistent sin, there is no fear of God (Rom 3:18). For all this, the wrath of God is poured out. It will fall on us, if we insist on living in the anti-God kingdom and trust in ourselves, or it falls on Jesus. Either way, the wages of sin is death. Heart of the matter
Taking the small, inflatable raft, he went out just beyond the wave break where he could relax & enjoy the coolness of the ocean water. He'd left his glasses on the beach. Though his vision was blurry, he kept telling himself, “I can still see the shore.” Soon, the sound of the lifeguard’s horn & shouts of onlookers signaled that he'd drifted out into dangerous water, never feeling the silent pull of the ocean’s undertow. Sin often operates this way in the lives of believers. Satan begins by tempting us to deviate only slightly from God’s principles. Then he watches for our reaction. Do we find sin palatable or nauseating? Spiritual drifting begins with the thought, “I know I probably shouldn’t do this, but I don’t see any harm in doing it just once.” Before you drift into harm’s way and away from the fellowship of God, ask Him to surface any area of sin you may be harboring. Very few of us successfully resist rationalized sin the 2nd time around. The man who eats a hot fudge sundae & concludes that it doesn’t make him fat is deceived. Make the wise choice to obey, & avoid the danger of drifting. Heavenly Father, I don’t want to drift. Surface any disobedience or compromise in my life, and keep me from the deadly spiritual undertow of sin. Enter His gates
Christ paid a debt He did not owe to free us from a debt we could not pay. Strength for today
Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way & fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin. Answers to tough questions.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 22, 2016 16:54:36 GMT -5
This was a very instructive answer to my question:
"This chapter explains why your sins don't just disappear after you've recognized them and repented of them.
Sanctification is a matter of growing out of old ways while growing into new ones."
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 22, 2016 17:29:05 GMT -5
11/22/16
Romans:7:1-7
I keeping this short because I want to re-read the saved thread.
Under the law sinful passions were aroused by the law that we (I) bore fruit for death.
The application is that I having died to the law through the body of Christ, might bear fruit for God.
This is indeed a work in progress for me.
Under
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Post by Cindy on Nov 23, 2016 11:10:02 GMT -5
This was a very instructive answer to my question:
"This chapter explains why your sins don't just disappear after you've recognized them and repented of them.
Sanctification is a matter of growing out of old ways while growing into new ones."
 Almost makes you want to go have another look at it doesn't it? lol Actually all of Romans explains that we will sin and why our sins don't just disappear, as well as explaining all that the Lord has given us to be victorious and how we can know for sure that we're saved. It's a very deep and profound book, and one that has changed many people's lives, including Martin Luther and other famous Christians. In fact, the book of Romans is responsible for the Protestant Reformation as it made men realize that they could do nothing to save themselves or to cause God to save them; that salvation came by grace alone and faith alone, from God alone. Therefore it can't be undone by a puny human being either. Pretty cool huh? 11/22/16
Romans:7:1-7
I keeping this short because I want to re-read the saved thread.
Under the law sinful passions were aroused by the law that we (I) bore fruit for death.
The application is that I having died to the law through the body of Christ, might bear fruit for God.
This is indeed a work in progress for me.
Under
“So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.” (Romans 7:4)
You also died: The Gr. construction of this verb emphasizes two important points: 1) this death happened at a point in time, with results that are complete and final; and 2) someone else—in this case God Himself—initiated this death (lit. “you also were made to die”). In response to faith in His Son, God makes the believing sinner forever dead to the condemnation and penalty of the law (cf. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” Romans 8:1).
“But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” (Romans 7:6)
Released from the Law: Not freedom to do what God’s law forbids, but freedom from the spiritual liabilities & penalties of God’s law. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”” (Galatians 3:13) Because we died in Christ when He died, the law with its condemnation & penalties no longer has jurisdiction over us.
Serve. This is the verb form of the word for “bond-servant”, but here it's parallel to being slaves of righteousness, emphasizing that this service is not voluntary. Not only is the believer able to do what is right, he will do what is right.
It sounds contradictory at times doesn't it? We will sin, but we won't sin, we will do what's right, but we won't do what's right. It's enough to make you tear your hair out! But both statements are true. While here in this life, we will sin, but when we repent, God will forgive the sin and give us another fresh start. He does that a hundred times a day for each of us. Yet, at the same time, because God is not bound by time, God sees the end result of our salvation. He sees what we think of as yet future. He sees that in the end, we will want to do what is right, and we will do what is right, every single time and there will not be even the smallest spot of sin or stain on us! We struggle here to learn obedience and self discipline and self control, but on that great day of Christ, when our salvation is complete, we will be whole, pure, and holy. Since He has already done this for us (even though we don't see or feel it yet) no one can undo it, and therefore our salvation cannot be lost.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 23, 2016 13:37:35 GMT -5
The last part was the most helpful yet.....
"God will forgive the sin and give us another fresh start. He does that a hundred times a day for each of us. Yet, at the same time, because God is not bound by time, God sees the end result of our salvation. He sees what we think of as yet future. He sees that in the end, we will want to do what is right, and we will do what is right, every single time and there will not be even the smallest spot of sin or stain on us!"
This was so helpful, because tho I tend to focus on a half a dozen or more, gross sins.
I know that even if those 'gross' sins were to all be gone forever, there are still a zillon more sins...
that I may not think are as bad as the others, that are nevertheless, ugly sins to God....
so forgiving all of them together would be at least 100 a day ( and then, there are sins I am not even in the least aware of....
tho slowly on, I do become aware of more and more sins)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 23, 2016 14:03:53 GMT -5
11/23/16
Romans: 7: 7-25
The Law and Sin
In a strange way, these verses are very comforting. For one thing, they explain exactly what is going on with me:
"For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do......
For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want to do,
but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing....
22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; "
But of course the last verse are the most comforting because they hold the hope...
"24 What a wretched man (woman) I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?
25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 24, 2016 14:57:30 GMT -5
11/24/16
Romans 8: 1-17
The first verse is a very comforting verse:
v.1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,"
As is v.15 " The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Not to live in fear and being adopted ( by God) are meaningful and joyful words to live by.
Ans since today is Thanks-Giving....I should mention that they are words I am thankful that God put them in His Word.
And one application is already included in this passage:
v. 12 "Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.
13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live."
I think the key may be that it is by the Spirit the misdeeds are put to death ( yet, not all sin will be gone until after I die or am raptured).
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 25, 2016 19:10:31 GMT -5
11/25/16
Romans 8:18-30
Present Suffering and Future Glory
I have always felt that I would rather suffer first and not later....it seems the ultimate in foolishness to gain the whole world now and suffer for all eternity.
It is mind boggling to think the whole Creation groans because of our sins, but it has hope as do we.
My application is also stated in v.25
"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."
To wait....patiently...something I don't always do well.
and v. 28 is one of my favorite verses:
v. 28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
God can make even suffering work out to our (my) good in the end.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 26, 2016 14:40:31 GMT -5
11/26/16
Romans 8:31-39
More Than Conquerors
Sometimes it hard for me to envision being a 'conqueror'....never mind 'more' than a conqueror...what would that be?!
Nevertheless it says:
"......If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Well that certainly makes sense!!
Not only that but "..... Spirit himself intercedes for us..."
So I don't think this necessarily means perfect victory every time right here and now ( tho sometimes it does happen for sure)
but it may be delayed, however:
v.28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
For me, my application it to reflect on the fact that even if, I am not a victorious conqueror today, or before I die or am raptured....
yet, God has promised I will be, and that he will work ALL things for my good....
some things may be delayed,
but His Word, His promise is still the truth.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 27, 2016 14:02:49 GMT -5
11/27/16
Romans 9:1-5
Paul’s Anguish Over Israel
I think Paul had a lot of Christ's love in his heart. No one of course, could ever ever come close to the divine Godly love of our Savior, but still, I cannot imagine ( for myself) to truly be willing to go to Hell so that others might be saved.
I am way to selfish, self-centered, lacking of love.....I am not saying I do not with all my heart wish all could be saved, but to be apart for all eternity from the love of Jesus, and to suffer forever in Hell, is beyond me....so this alone is a mind boggling passage!
Still my application would be to pray more, have more concern and love for others who are perishing, even those who hate me.
Paul gives the earthly advantages and blessings that the Jews had.
I think he is explaining why God has set them aside ( for a time but has not in fact abandoned them forever).
These advantages however, would not save them, only trusting in Jesus would/will.
And another application for me is not to trust in any of the blessings/advantages I have been given, but only in Jesus.
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Post by Cindy on Nov 28, 2016 13:18:33 GMT -5
The last part was the most helpful yet.....
"God will forgive the sin and give us another fresh start. He does that a hundred times a day for each of us. Yet, at the same time, because God is not bound by time, God sees the end result of our salvation. He sees what we think of as yet future. He sees that in the end, we will want to do what is right, and we will do what is right, every single time and there will not be even the smallest spot of sin or stain on us!"
This was so helpful, because tho I tend to focus on a half a dozen or more, gross sins.
I know that even if those 'gross' sins were to all be gone forever, there are still a zillon more sins...
that I may not think are as bad as the others, that are nevertheless, ugly sins to God....
so forgiving all of them together would be at least 100 a day ( and then, there are sins I am not even in the least aware of....
tho slowly on, I do become aware of more and more sins)
11/23/16
Romans: 7: 7-25
The Law and Sin
In a strange way, these verses are very comforting. For one thing, they explain exactly what is going on with me:
"For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do......
For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want to do,
but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing....
22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; "
But of course the last verse are the most comforting because they hold the hope...
"24 What a wretched man (woman) I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?
25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
“Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” (Romans 7:25)
The final sentence in the chapter does not teach that the believer lives a divided life: sinning with his flesh but serving God with his mind. This would mean that his body was being used in two different ways at the same time, & this is impossible. The believer realizes that there is a struggle within him between the flesh & the Spirit (Gal. 5:16–18), but he knows that one or the other must be in control. By “the mind” Paul meant “the inward man” (Rom. 7:22) as opposed to “the flesh” (Rom. 7:18). He amplified this thought in Rom 8:5–8. The old nature cannot do anything good. Everything the Bible says about the old nature is negative: (Rom. 7:18; John 6:63; Phil. 3:3). If we depend on the energy of the flesh, we cannot serve God, please God, or do any good thing. But if we yield to the Holy Spirit, then we have the power needed to obey His will. The flesh will never serve the Law of God because the flesh is at war with God. But the Spirit can only obey the Law of God! Therefore, the secret of doing good is to yield to the Holy Spirit. Paul hinted at this in the early verses of this chapter when he wrote, “That we should bring forth fruit unto God” (Rom. 7:4). Just as we are dead to the old nature, so we are dead to the Law. But we are united to Christ & alive in Christ, & therefore can bring forth fruit unto God. It is our union with Christ that enables us to serve God acceptably. “For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). That solved Paul’s problem in Rom 7:18. The old nature knows no law and the new nature needs no law. Legalism makes a believer wretched because it grieves the new nature & aggravates the old nature! The legalist becomes a Pharisee whose outward actions are acceptable, but whose inward attitudes are despicable. No wonder Jesus called them “whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, & of all uncleanness” (Matt. 23:27). How wretched can you get! Rom 8 explains, the best is yet to come! The Bible exposition commentary
The sin principle in our humanness wars against our desire to obey. Every Christian fights that battle. Your humanness wars against the new creation that delights in the law of God. What gives us hope is that the longer we fight the battle, the more victorious we will be. So thank the Lord for continuing His work to deliver you and give you victory each day from sin. Truth for today
The first half of this verse answers the question Paul just raised (v. 24)—he is certain that Christ will eventually rescue him when He returns. The second half summarizes the two sides of the struggle Paul has described (vv. 14–24). The MacArthur study Bible
All who love Christ desire to be like Him in spiritual perfection & absolute holiness. We want to please Him in every respect. However, that noble pursuit is often met with frustration & discouragement as human frailties & sin block our pathway. Paul’s cry in vv. 15, 21, 24 is ours as well. His answer resonates with confidence & relief: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Paul was convinced that God always completes the good work of salvation He begins in every new believer—a work that progressively conforms us to the image of His Son. That might seem like a painfully slow process at times, but be assured He will complete it. All whom He justifies will be glorified. In the meantime, you have an active role to play in the process. Paul called it “working out your salvation with fear & trembling” (Phil. 2:12). You must discipline yourself for holiness through prayer, Bible study, obedience, & accountability to other believers. All the resources you need are at your disposal as God Himself works in you to produce “His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). Rejoice in knowing that you belong to God & that He is conforming you to the image of His Son. See every event of this day as part of that process. Yield to the Spirit’s prompting, & take heart that God will accomplish His will. Give thanks to God, who is able “to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy” (Jude 24). Express the desire to discipline yourself for godliness. Ask for wisdom in taking advantage of all the spiritual resources available to you as a believer. Drawing NearPaul in this answer was looking to the final triumph of Jesus for His people. Just as believers are identified with Him in His death & resurrection by faith here & now, so they will join their resurrected & exalted Lord for all eternity in new bodies, free forever from the presence of sin (8:23; Phil. 3:20–21). Meanwhile, in this life, Paul concluded, I myself in my mind am a slave (lit., “am serving as a slave”) to God’s Law, but in the sinful nature (“flesh”) a slave to the law of sin (“slave to sin,” ). While awaiting freedom from the presence of sin, believers still face conflicts between their regenerated minds (new natures) & their sin natures.The Bible Knowledge Commentary 11/24/16
Romans 8: 1-17
The first verse is a very comforting verse:
v.1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,"
As is v.15 " The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Not to live in fear and being adopted ( by God) are meaningful and joyful words to live by.
Ans since today is Thanks-Giving....I should mention that they are words I am thankful that God put them in His Word.
And one application is already included in this passage:
v. 12 "Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.
13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live."
I think the key may be that it is by the Spirit the misdeeds are put to death ( yet, not all sin will be gone until after I die or am raptured).
11/25/16
Romans 8:18-30
Present Suffering and Future Glory
I have always felt that I would rather suffer first and not later....it seems the ultimate in foolishness to gain the whole world now and suffer for all eternity.
It is mind boggling to think the whole Creation groans because of our sins, but it has hope as do we.
My application is also stated in v.25
"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."
To wait....patiently...something I don't always do well.
and v. 28 is one of my favorite verses:
v. 28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
God can make even suffering work out to our (my) good in the end.
The problem of being morally corrupt & sinful can’t be solved by working harder. Who can do the work that won’t just cover up the symptoms but really fix who we are? Jesus has done the work required to clean up the filth in our hearts, to purify us & make us acceptable before God. It can be hard for us to accept & trust that Jesus has done our labor for us in a way we never could. There are few experiences in which the good efforts of another can make up for our own. Jesus really did do our work for us in living a life perfect in every regard, keeping the whole of God’s law, & paying the penalty for our countless violations. God has truly credited us with Jesus’ perfection & success. It’s not fair, but that’s the whole point: It's what the Bible calls “grace.” Grace means we don’t get what’s fair or what we deserve; we get God’s forgiveness & love instead. And not only are we credited with Jesus’ perfection, we also, in time, gain the ability to do what is right. We aren’t simply being let off the hook, but truly redeemed, or fixed, on the inside. By trusting in Jesus we are spiritually joined to him so that not only his credit, but also his very nature begins to take over ours. Heart of the matter
“For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,” (Romans 8:13)
What is Biblical happiness? It begins with putting to death the desire to please ourselves (Rom 8:13). That means that we have to completely do away with our culture's definition of happiness. You will never find true well-being and contentment in life by continuing to let your own gratification be the primary focus of your life. God does want us to have well-being and contentment, but that desire is secondary to His wanting us to be transformed by His love on a daily basis (Rom 12:1-2). So the objective should not be "how can I make me happy today?" That causes US to remain the central focus. Rather, the objective should become "how can I focus on Christ today and let His love cause me to be more like Him?" Biblical Happiness
What we call happiness is really this sense of being in control. Even if we get cold, we are comforted in knowing that we have control of the thermostat and can change it whenever we want. We have choices. We’re in charge. God is not abstractly interested in ensuring that we are either wealthy or poor, successful or unsuccessful; he has far larger plans for us. He has chosen us as his children—co-heirs with Christ of the whole estate. Fellowship in the age of everlasting peace, not where believers live above poverty, but where there is no more poverty; where no one gets killed or even fights anymore because sin, evil, injustice, violence, and oppression no longer exist. Doesn’t God Want Us to be Happy?
Jesus certainly knew the difference between happiness & holiness. In Mat 4:2–3, He fasted for 40 days & nights despite Satan’s temptation to turn stones into bread. Doing so might have made Him happy temporarily, but avoiding temptation kept Him set apart. In Mat 15:29, we find Jesus trying to rest on a mountainside. He barely sat down when a crowd came to Him looking to be healed. Protecting His alone time might have made Jesus happy, but that’s not what He did. Instead He ministered to those in need around Him even when it was inconvenient. The painful death Jesus experienced on the cross didn’t make Him happy. But He willingly endured it because He is a holy God who desired to reconcile us to Himself. Happiness vs. Holiness
“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”” (Romans 8:15)
God’s love is effective, and he wants you to know and experience his love for you. His Word is full of reminders that he personally and powerfully loves his children: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Rom 8:31–32). “God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us” (Rom 5:5). “You received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba! Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Rom 8:15–16). These aren’t just words. God does what he says. They aren’t just good intentions. He initiates a living relationship. These passages speak of two central ways that God shows his love to us. First, the historical fact: Jesus Christ went to an agonizing death out of love for his children. Second, the powerful dynamic within our hearts: the Holy Spirit pours out God’s love in us to create the child’s trusting response. Did God act in love in history? Does God act now in love within our hearts? Yes! God’s love is effective, both then and now. Heart of the matter
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” (Romans 8:18–19)
Christ’s victory gives us back our identity & restores our meaning. We recognize, & may truly know for the first time, that we have a future that ends in peace, as well as a past that can be healed & forgiven, & now live in the hope of the gospel. Christ opens up for us a new identity because he himself remained always true to his own identity, a share of which he offers to us. In Christ’s victory, fear & shame are banished, to be replaced by profound joy that we are no longer strangers to God & to one another, that we are no longer so utterly isolated & alone. “Liberation from the bondage of our past & yearning for a fulfilled future find their realization in Christ’s reclaiming of the creation. Because of his finished work, anyone who trusts in Jesus Christ can have this comfort in life and in death: That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven: in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him. Rid of my disgrace
This one is great to remember for replacing thoughts with!
Grace is available because Jesus went through the valley of the shadow of death and rose from death. The gospel engages our life with all its pain, shame, rejection, lostness, sin, and death. So now, to your pain, the gospel says, “You will be healed.” To your shame, the gospel says, “You can now come to God in confidence.” To your rejection, the gospel says, “You are accepted!” To your lostness, the gospel says, “You are found and I won’t ever let you go.” To your sin, the gospel says, “You are forgiven and God declares you pure and righteous.” To your death, the gospel says, “You once were dead, but now you are alive.” Rid of my disgrace Once we get into the habit of dwelling frequently on the glories of what is to come, the problems and struggles of life—even the mundane daily affairs—all fade into insignificance by comparison (Rom. 8:18). When the apostle Paul tells us to “set your mind on the things above, not on earthly things” (Col. 3:2), he intends it to be a joyful exercise that frees our minds from all the debilitating stuff of earth—things that don’t matter for eternity anyway. Such temporal concerns ought never to dampen our spiritual joy. The pillars of Christian character “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” (Romans 8:22)
What is the kingdom of God all about? What new meaning and purpose is to become the focus of my life as a child of God? God has called us away from our autonomous, self-focused living to live transcendently once again—to live with restoration in view in every situation, location, and relationship in which God places me. God’s redemptive purpose is captured in Revelation 21:5, when God, seated on the throne says, “I am making everything new!” It is summarized in Romans 8:18–24, which pictures the whole of creation groaning, waiting for redemption. If the glory of God is reflected in all of creation, if the effects of sin reach to all of creation, and if the goal of redemption is to restore all of creation, then you and I should care about everything! Your sadness with sin should be bigger than the fact that it complicates your life. Your sadness should extend as far as sin reaches. Your celebration of God’s restoring grace should be bigger than the fact that it brings blessing to your private world. The goal of God’s kingdom is the complete restoration of every last thing that was damaged by the fall. Grace calls you to shape your living to the contours of this amazing work of restoration. As the great old Christmas carol proclaims, “He comes to make his blessings known, far as the curse is found.” Heart of the matter 11/26/16
Romans 8:31-39
More Than Conquerors
Sometimes it hard for me to envision being a 'conqueror'....never mind 'more' than a conqueror...what would that be?!
Nevertheless it says:
"......If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Well that certainly makes sense!!
Not only that but "..... Spirit himself intercedes for us..."
So I don't think this necessarily means perfect victory every time right here and now ( tho sometimes it does happen for sure)
but it may be delayed, however:
v.28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
For me, my application it to reflect on the fact that even if, I am not a victorious conqueror today, or before I die or am raptured....
yet, God has promised I will be, and that he will work ALL things for my good....
some things may be delayed,
but His Word, His promise is still the truth.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:28–30)
There is no such thing as luck, fate, or chance in relation to believers. The “good” here is defined in v. 29 as “conformed to the image of His Son.” Christlikeness, not prosperity, fame or health, is God’s unalterable plan for every believer. The Gospel according to Paul
good. In His providence, God orchestrates every event in life—even suffering, temptation, and sin—to accomplish both our temporal and eternal benefit (cf. Deut 8:15-16). called. Cf. v. 30; see note on 1:7. As always, in the NT epistles, this call is God’s effectual calling of His elect that brings them to salvation. foreknew. Not a reference simply to God’s omniscience—that in eternity past He knew who would come to Christ. Rather, it speaks of a predetermined choice to set His love on us & establish an intimate relationship—or His election. predestined. Lit. “to mark out, appoint, or determine beforehand.” Those God chooses, He destines for His chosen end—that is, likeness to His Son (see notes on Eph 1:4, 5, 11). conformed to the image of His Son. The goal of God’s predestined purpose for His own is that they would be made like Jesus. This is the “prize of the upward call” (Php 3:14; cf. Eph 4:13; Col 1:28; Php 3:20, 21; 1Jn 3:2). firstborn. The preeminent one, the only one who is the rightful heir. (cf. Ps 89:27; Col 1:15–18; Rev 1:5). Jesus Christ is the most notable one among those who have become “brethren” by being made like Him. glorified. Paul uses the past tense for a future event to stress its certainty. The MacArthur study Bible
His working is on behalf of “those who love Him,” who are further identified as the ones who have been called according to His purpose. It is significant that a believer’s love for God follows God’s calling of him and is undoubtedly the product of the indwelling Holy Spirit . The word for “purpose” is prothesin, God’s plan (Paul used the same word in Rom. 9:11; Eph. 1:11; 3:11). “Called” means more than being invited to receive Christ; it means to be summoned to and given salvation (cf. Rom. 1:6; 8:30). These verses give Paul’s explanation of what it means to be one who has “been called according to His purpose” and why God keeps on working all their experiences together to their benefit (v. 28). BELIEVERS ARE THOSE GOD FOREKNEW. THIS DOES NOT MEAN SIMPLY THAT GOD FOREKNOWS WHAT BELIEVERS WILL DO, BUT THAT GOD FOREKNOWS THEM. Nor does divine foreknowledge merely mean an awareness of or acquaintance with an individual. INSTEAD IT MEANS A MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH A PERSON BASED ON GOD’S CHOICE (cf. Jer. 1:4–5; Amos 3:2) IN ETERNITY BEFORE CREATION. “He chose us in Him before the Creation of the world” (Eph. 1:4).
This eternal choice and foreknowledge involves more than establishing a relationship between God and believers. It also involves the goal or end of that relationship: Those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son (cf. 1 John 3:2). The entire group that is brought into relationship with God in His eternal plan by divine foreknowledge and choice is predestined (proōrisen, “predetermined”; cf. Eph. 1:5, 11). God determined beforehand the believers’ destiny, namely, conformity to the image of Jesus Christ. By all saints being made like Christ (ultimate and complete sanctification), Christ will be exalted as the Firstborn among many brothers. The resurrected and glorified Lord Jesus Christ will become the Head of a new race of humanity purified from all contact with sin and prepared to live eternally in His presence (cf. 1 Cor. 15:42–49). As the “Firstborn” He is in the highest position among others (cf. Col. 1:18).
Between the start and finish of God’s plan are three steps: being called (cf. Rom. 1:6; 8:28), being justified (cf. 3:24, 28; 4:2; 5:1, 9), and being glorified (cf. 8:17; Col. 1:27; 3:4), and in the process not a single person is lost. God completes His plan without slippage. “GLORIFIED” IS IN THE PAST TENSE BECAUSE THIS FINAL STEP IS SO CERTAIN THAT IN GOD’S EYES IT IS AS GOOD AS DONE. TO BE GLORIFIED IS ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THAT GOD’S CHILDREN WILL BE “conformed” TO HIS SON; AND THAT IS GOD’S ULTIMATE “PURPOSE.” NO LONGER WILL THEY “FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD” (Rom. 3:23). The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Makes me want to shout for joy!11/27/16
Romans 9:1-5
Paul’s Anguish Over Israel
I think Paul had a lot of Christ's love in his heart. No one of course, could ever ever come close to the divine Godly love of our Savior, but still, I cannot imagine ( for myself) to truly be willing to go to Hell so that others might be saved.
I am way to selfish, self-centered, lacking of love.....I am not saying I do not with all my heart wish all could be saved, but to be apart for all eternity from the love of Jesus, and to suffer forever in Hell, is beyond me....so this alone is a mind boggling passage!
Still my application would be to pray more, have more concern and love for others who are perishing, even those who hate me.
Paul gives the earthly advantages and blessings that the Jews had.
I think he is explaining why God has set them aside ( for a time but has not in fact abandoned them forever).
These advantages however, would not save them, only trusting in Jesus would/will.
And another application for me is not to trust in any of the blessings/advantages I have been given, but only in Jesus.
God has come, in the person of Jesus, and entered into the difficulties, the sufferings, the sins, and the disappointments of this life. Jesus bore your weakness. He was tempted as you are. He triumphed. Now he comes near to you with promises of mercy and goodness. “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (32). As you read through Romans 8, notice that Paul doesn’t say that we won’t have hardships. Instead he acknowledges that there will be “trouble . . . hardship . . . persecution . . . famine . . . nakedness [and] danger” (35). But he does promise that none of these things “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (39). Cling to this promise. Cling to Jesus. Invite him into your struggles, your sorrows, and your questions. When you read the Gospel of Luke, notice that Luke doesn’t talk much about smart, successful people. He focuses on people who are powerless, bereaved, ignored, and neglected. Watch Jesus in action. Notice how he treats people with wisdom, love, and tenderness; how he’s content to do and say only one thing, or a few things. This is also the way he treats you. Pour out your heart to Jesus. He promises to answer (Ps 86:7). He promises to never leave you or forsake you (Heb 13:5). Heart of the matter
Another good one for spiritual warfare!
Where do your “if onlys” lead? Plow your own heart by evaluating your desires, demands, fears, insecurities, wants, and expectations. Ask God to show you the areas in your life where you are struggling. Asking these questions will reveal what you treasure the most. Let me mention three common struggles: anger, fear, and indispensability. When you see these things in your heart, turn to the Lord and find his grace, mercy, and help in your time of need (Heb 4:16). Against anger, meditate on the fact that God who did not spare his own Son, the most lavish gift of all, will not withhold from us what we really need (Rom 8:32). Against fear, hear Jesus say, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). Against a sense of indispensability and self-sufficiency, remember that God’s strength is actually “made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). Remember, you are made in the image of God. God wants to transform you so you will be a beautiful reflection of his image to the watching world. This transformation happens as you ask God every day for wisdom and power through his Spirit, and by faith depend on him for everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Heart of the matter
The cross is the only evidence that can fully persuade you that God is, at all times, good and generous. If someone gives his only child for you, you can’t doubt that person’s love. Our God says, “If I have sacrificed my Son for you, do you really think I am going to be stingy and withhold my love now?” Heart of the matter
God has justified us (v. 33). This means that He has declared us righteous in Christ. Satan would like to accuse us (Zech. 3:1–7; Rev. 12:10), but we stand righteous in Jesus Christ. We are God’s elect—chosen in Christ & accepted in Christ. God will certainly not accuse us since it is He who has justified us. For Him to accuse us would mean that His salvation was a failure & we are still in our sins. Understanding the meaning of justification brings peace to our hearts. When God declares the believing sinner righteous in Christ, that declaration never changes. Our Christian experience changes from day to day, but justification never changes. We may accuse ourselves, & men may accuse us; but God will never take us to court & accuse us. Jesus has already paid the penalty & we are secure in Him. The Bible exposition commentary
Paul was saying, “What can make Christ stop loving you?” The obvious answer: Nothing. Paul went on to specify various afflictions that might cause a believer to question God’s goodness. “Tribulation” speaks of pressure from external difficulties. That includes suffering from false accusations, rejection, or bodily harm. Paul knew all about that from experience (2 Cor. 11:24–27). Paul also spoke of “distress” (Rom. 8:35). The Greek term refers to internal pressure and literally means “narrowness of room.” It pictures someone who is caught in a narrow space or hemmed in with no way out. It can specifically refer to temptation. Does your experiencing extreme distress or temptation mean that God no longer loves you? No. God promises that when you undergo such pressure, He will enable you to endure it and at the right time provide a way out (1 Cor. 10:13). What about the other afflictions? What if you suffer at the hands of those who reject Christ? What if you go without food, even to the point of starvation? What about a lack of clothing or shelter? Are those adversities evidence that God is not good—that He does not love you anymore? Absolutely not! Remember, it is impossible for anyone or anything to separate you from God’s love. It’s no wonder Paul prayed for us as believers to comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of God’s love (Eph. 3:18–19). God: Coming face to face with His Majesty
Because we are in Christ, His glory & our good are linked together. Because we are united with Christ, whatever is for His glory is also for our good, & whatever is for our good is for His glory. Trusting God
overwhelmingly conquer. A compound Gr. word, which means to over-conquer, to conquer completely, without any real threat to personal life or health. The MacArthur study Bible
In all these adversities (“all things” in 28 & “all things” in v. 32 with all these things in v. 37), rather than being separated from Christ’s love, believers are more than conquerors (“keep on being conquerors to a greater degree” or “keep on winning a glorious victory”) through Him who loved us. Jesus & His love for believers enable them to triumph. The Bible Knowledge Commentary
In the midst of illness, suffering & myriad of life’s afflictions, we have God’s assurance of His eternal presence & therefore are said to be more than conquerors. The word used here in the original language literally means that we are “super-conquerors.” We don't merely hold our own in the face of testing, but through suffering we're drawn closer to Christ & become more conformed to His image. Notice, however, the means by which we are super conquerors, through him that loved us. Personal heroism & inner strength aren't contributors to success in the Christian life. As we owe our justification & our sanctification to Him, we also owe our assurance to Him. All we have we owe to Him. KJV Bible Commentary.
Furthermore, He gives us the power to conquer (Rom. 8:37). We are “more than conquerors,” literally, “we are superconquerors” through Jesus Christ! He gives us victory and more victory! We need not fear life or death, things present or things to come, because Jesus Christ loves us and gives us the victory. This is not a promise with conditions attached: “If you do this, God will do that.” This security in Christ is an established fact, and we claim it for ourselves because we are in Christ. Nothing can separate you from His love! Believe it—and rejoice in it! The Bible exposition commentary
“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer” This was an intensified form of the term “conquer.” Paul must have coined this term (hyper + nikaō). This is a wonderful mixed metaphor, “conquering sheep.” Believers are conquerors through Christ (cf. John 16:33; 1 John 2:13–14; 4:4; 5:4). “through Him who loved us” The Gospel according to Paul
I love that last one: conquering sheep! yep, that's us alright! That's what we really are, even though we often can't see it or feel it. Even when we think we've lost a battle, we've really won, because God uses that loss to change us to be more like Christ, just as He uses our "wins" to change us to be more like Christ! Isn't God amazing???? In other words, we can't lose, because God won't let us lose! It reminds me of another favorite verse: “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:4) So when we see someone who says they've been saved and think there's no way they can be and if they are, they sure don't act it, etc... we're forgetting that God WILL make that person stand firm in their faith and be exactly like our Lord Himself! We can apply the same thing to ourselves as well: No matter how often we fail, no matter how horrible we think we are, the Lord God who created us, has determined that we will be just like Jesus and He will make it so, and He is of course more than able to make us perfect! We may not see it or feel like it, but that's what we will be in the end, so we might as well get used to the idea now!
God’s love is sovereign; that His powerful arm is also His arm of tender care. But it seems so often we do not see or sense God’s sovereign love exercised on our behalf. Instead, we see ourselves beset with all kinds of calamities that come rolling in upon us. We see ourselves as the victims of “nature’s cruel fate,” of the injustices of other people, and of adversities that occur with no rational cause. It is at times like this that we must take our stand by faith on the assurances of God’s love given to us in the Scriptures. We cannot evade one of the basic principles of the Christian life, “We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Certainly our faith frequently wavers and, just as we may momentarily question the wisdom of God, we will momentarily question the goodness and love of God. We will be like David when he said, “In my alarm I said, ‘I am cut off from your sight!’” (Psalm 31:22). That is often our initial reaction when adversity strikes us. We feel cut off from God’s face, from His love and tender care. But we must also learn to say with David, “Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help” (Psalm 31:22). God cannot forsake us because we are His children, in blessed union with His Son. We cannot be cut off from His sight. But we can be cut off from the assurance of His love when we allow doubt and unbelief to gain a foothold in our hearts.
Isaiah speaks of God’s people (called Zion) as questioning God’s love: “But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me’” (Isaiah 49:14). But God’s response to His people’s doubts is forceful. “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!”. God uses the tightest human bonding possible, the nursing baby at his mother’s breast, to illustrate His love for us. But even the highest illustration of human love is not sufficient to demonstrate God’s love for His children. For it is tragically possible for a mother to neglect her nursing child. Mothers are sinful and sometimes their natural love can be overcome by their own selfish interests. The greatest human love may sometimes fail. But God’s love cannot fail. Not merely will God not forget, He cannot forget. This is one of the strongest, if not the strongest expression of God’s love in the Old Testament. In a word, the Prophet here describes to us the inconceivable carefulness with which God unceasingly watches over our salvation, that we may be fully convinced that he will never forsake us, though we may be afflicted with great and numerous calamities. Trusting God
A review of this wonderful chapter shows that the Christian is completely victorious. We are free from judgment because Christ died for us and we have His righteousness. We are free from defeat because Christ lives in us by His Spirit and we share His life. We are free from discouragement because Christ is coming for us and we shall share His glory. We are free from fear because Christ intercedes for us and we cannot be separated from His love. No condemnation! No obligation! No frustration! No separation! If God be for us, who can be against us! The Bible exposition commentary
 
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 28, 2016 16:34:16 GMT -5
Some really new ideas here that are so helpful and I have actually experienced some.....
like this one you wrote:
"Even when we think we've lost a battle, we've really won, because God uses that loss to change us to be more like Christ, just as He uses our "wins" to change us to be more like Christ! "
I know that has happened to me, but at the same time, I could not understand, why I would have to worry about them ever again....and that would be one reason for doubt.
When failing/falling back into a sin, I would hate it all the more....
but I never really saw that as a 'win'... only a failure
well you know what I mean, is is NOT a win in itself......
but now, I can sort of see how God can turn it into a 'win'....
in that the hatred for whatever sin it is...has grown even more!
I was a little confused on the election info.....because, I had always thought that it was God's sovereign choice who would be saved, but then we once discussed Jacob and Esau ( an tho that was tied up also in the age of consent......I began to think, you had suggested that God choosing who would be saved was wrong in some way)
but today, it seemed like you were saying the Word says, in fact, election is of God ( back to what I thought).
As I said, I think I got confused because we were discussing back then, election and the age of consent.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 28, 2016 16:48:26 GMT -5
11/28/16
Romans: 9:6-29
God’s Sovereign Choice
How weird is that....the very question I just wrote to you about and here is a passage on the very subject!!!
Well, I won't say much, because you may or may not have to do a lot of correcting me.
So it sounds like perhaps in some way, not all of Israel was chosen ( and yet at the same time elsewhere scripture says I think that God would that all would be saved).
it speaks of the children of promise and there is v.13 is the very verse we talked about. I do remember you said the word 'hated' is not the way, we tend to think of 'hate' but I have forgotten the exact explanation of the word 'hate and what and how it is used.
Then there is v.18
"8 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden."
Which now seems to suggest God chose Pharaoh before in order to show His wrath?
But to those He has chosen, His mercy and for His glory.
My application, is to be Thankful and grateful that I belong to Jesus.
Beyond that, I think I need clarification as to election.
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Post by Cindy on Nov 29, 2016 12:02:49 GMT -5
Some really new ideas here that are so helpful and I have actually experienced some.....
like this one you wrote:
"Even when we think we've lost a battle, we've really won, because God uses that loss to change us to be more like Christ, just as He uses our "wins" to change us to be more like Christ! "
I know that has happened to me, but at the same time, I could not understand, why I would have to worry about them ever again....and that would be one reason for doubt.
When failing/falling back into a sin, I would hate it all the more....
but I never really saw that as a 'win'... only a failure
well you know what I mean, is is NOT a win in itself......
but now, I can sort of see how God can turn it into a 'win'....
in that the hatred for whatever sin it is...has grown even more!
I was a little confused on the election info.....because, I had always thought that it was God's sovereign choice who would be saved, but then we once discussed Jacob and Esau ( an tho that was tied up also in the age of consent......I began to think, you had suggested that God choosing who would be saved was wrong in some way)
but today, it seemed like you were saying the Word says, in fact, election is of God ( back to what I thought).
As I said, I think I got confused because we were discussing back then, election and the age of consent.
Yes, election means that God chooses who is going to be saved. It does not mean though that God chooses who won't be saved. In other words, God never chooses for someone to go to Hell. I know that sounds like it's contradictory, but that's because we're not God and can't really totally understand election and predestination. All we can know is that God has in fact chosen us to be saved before the world was even created. The thing with Jacob and Esau was simply saying that God did not "hate" Esau the way we use the word "hate".
God chose Jacob before the babies were born. The two boys had done neither good nor evil, so God’s choice was not based on their character or conduct. Romans 9:13 is a reference to Malachi 1:2–3 and refers to nations (Israel and Edom) and not individual sinners. God does not hate sinners. John 3:16 makes it clear that He loves sinners. The statement here has to do with national election, not individual. Since God’s election of Israel does not depend on human merit, their disobedience cannot nullify the elective purposes of God. God is faithful even though His people are unfaithful. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary
The anthropomorphic terms “love” and “hate” relate not to God’s emotions towards these individuals, but His commitment to a Messianic line and promise. Jacob was the son of promise based on the prophecy of Gen. 25:23. Esau, in Mal. 1:2–3, referred to the nation of Edom (the descendant of Esau). The Gospel according to Paul: Romans.
Election is a wonderful doctrine. However, it is not a call to favoritism, but a call to be a channel, a tool, or a means of others’ redemption! In the Old Testament the term was used primarily for service; in the New Testament it is used primarily for salvation which issues in service. The Bible never reconciles the seeming contradiction between God’s sovereignty and mankind’s free will, but affirms them both! A good example of the biblical tension would be Romans 9 on God’s sovereign choice and Romans 10 on mankind’s necessary response (cf. 10:11, 13).
The key to this theological tension may be found in Ephesians 1:4. Jesus is God’s elect man and all are potentially elect in Him (Karl Barth). Jesus is God’s “yes” to fallen mankind’s need (Karl Barth). Ephesians 1:4 also helps clarify the issue by asserting that the goal of predestination is not heaven, but holiness (Christlikeness). We are often attracted to the benefits of the gospel and ignore the responsibilities! God’s call (election) is for time as well as eternity! The Gospel according to Luke.
11/28/16
Romans: 9:6-29
God’s Sovereign Choice
How weird is that....the very question I just wrote to you about and here is a passage on the very subject!!!
Well, I won't say much, because you may or may not have to do a lot of correcting me.
So it sounds like perhaps in some way, not all of Israel was chosen ( and yet at the same time elsewhere scripture says I think that God would that all would be saved).
it speaks of the children of promise and there is v.13 is the very verse we talked about. I do remember you said the word 'hated' is not the way, we tend to think of 'hate' but I have forgotten the exact explanation of the word 'hate and what and how it is used.
Then there is v.18
"8 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden."
Which now seems to suggest God chose Pharaoh before in order to show His wrath?
But to those He has chosen, His mercy and for His glory.
My application, is to be Thankful and grateful that I belong to Jesus.
Beyond that, I think I need clarification as to election.
The reference here is Isaiah 59:20–21; The prophet has national conversion in mind. “All Israel shall be saved” does not mean that every Jew who has ever lived will be converted, but that the Jews living when the Redeemer returns will see Him, receive Him, & be saved. Zech 12–13 give the details. The Bible exposition commentary
To confirm Israel's hardening is temporary, Paul quoted from Isaiah 59:20–21 and 27:9. The statement, “All Israel will be saved” does not mean that every Jew living at Christ’s return will be regenerated. Many of them will not be saved, as seen by the fact that the judgment of Israel, to follow soon after the Lord’s return, will include the removal of Jewish rebels (Ezek. 20:34–38). Following this judgment God will then remove godlessness and sins from the nation as He establishes His New Covenant with regenerate Israel (cf. Jer. 31:33–34). The Bible Knowledge Commentary
“For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”” (Romans 9:15)
God’s Righteousness (Rom. 9:14–18) The fact that God chose one and not the other seems to indicate that He is unrighteous. “Is there unrighteousness with God?” Paul asked; and then he replied, “God forbid!” It is unthinkable that the holy God should ever commit an unrighteous act. Election is always totally a matter of grace. If God acted only on the basis of righteousness, nobody would ever be saved. Paul quoted Exodus 33:19 to show that God’s mercy and compassion are extended according to God’s will and not man’s will. All of us deserve condemnation—not mercy. The reference in Exodus 33 deals with Israel’s idolatry while Moses was on the mount receiving the Law. The whole nation deserved to be destroyed, yet God killed only 3,000 people—not because they were more wicked or less godly, but purely because of His grace and mercy. The Bible exposition commentary
God’s mercy & election are plural, corporate, (Jews [Isaac], not Arabs [Ishmael]; Israel [Jacob], not Edom [Esau]), but it is for universal redemption! This truth is one of the keys to unlocking the mystery of the doctrine of predestination (God chose one man, one family, one nation, to bring the Messiah Who will redeem all). The other key in the context of chapters 9–11 is God’s unchanging character—mercy (cf. 9:15, 16, 18, 23; 11:30, 31, 32), & not human performance. Mercy through selection will eventually reach all who believe in Christ. The one opens the door of faith to all (cf. 5:18–19). The Gospel according to Paul: Romans.
Actual emotional hatred for Esau and his offspring is not the point here. Malachi, who wrote this declaration more than 1,500 years after their death, was looking back at these two men—and by extension the nations (Israel and Edom) that came from their loins. God chose one for divine blessing and protection, and the other He left to divine judgment.
There is no injustice with God. Paul once again anticipates his readers’ objection to Paul’s theology: If God were to choose some people for salvation and pass over others apart from their merits or actions, that would make God arbitrary and unfair.
In response to the accusation that such a teaching about God’s sovereign election is inconsistent with His fairness, Paul cites this text from the OT that clearly indicates that God is absolutely sovereign and does elect who will be saved without violating His other attributes. He determines who receives mercy.
Salvation is not initiated by human choice—even faith is a gift of God. Salvation is not merited by human effort. The MacArthur study Bible
God’s gracious and merciful plan does not violate human freedom. To select Jacob over Esau reflects God’s choice to have the nation Israel come through Jacob’s descendants, not Esau’s. In saying God “hated” Esau, Paul did not imply that God excluded him from salvation. For Messiah’s line, God chose the tribe of Judah (not the most noble of characters), rather than the descendants of Joseph (a true believer). (In that sense, he “hated” Joseph but “loved” Judah.) God executes His redemptive, gracious plan as He pleases. Humans have no claim on God. So, on the national level, God sovereignly decided to have mercy on Israel (including the patriarchs). Nevertheless, Abraham’s physical children cannot claim they are automatically “elected” for salvation & are therefore “righteous” apart from genuine faith in Christ. God’s gracious election also operates for salvation: God has determined to save those who trust in His Son. God will have mercy on whom He wills to have mercy, & no claim even of Jewish descent will override what the divine Potter chooses to do.
Interestingly, the prophet Jeremiah also used the potter as an illustration of how God works, clearly acknowledging that God may vary His response, given human reaction to His words (Jeremiah 18:5–10). God desires people to repent and turn to Him. The potter illustration shows that God is not immovable nor impassive and that He does not carry out His plans willy-nilly. The Apologetics Study Bible
“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”” (Romans 9:17)
Paul then quoted Exodus 9:16, using Pharaoh as an illustration. Moses was a Jew, Pharaoh was a Gentile; yet both were sinners. In fact, both were murderers! Both saw God’s wonders. Yet Moses was saved and Pharaoh was lost. God raised up Pharaoh that He might reveal His glory and power; and He had mercy on Moses that He might use him to deliver the people of Israel. Pharaoh was a ruler, and Moses was a slave; yet it was Moses who experienced the mercy and compassion of God—because God willed it that way. God is sovereign in His work and acts according to His own will and purposes. So it was not a matter of righteousness but of the sovereign will of God. The Bible exposition commentary
The Apostle Paul then presented his third illustration, the Egyptian Pharaoh of the Exodus. To him God said through Moses, I raised you up (i.e., brought you onto the scene of history) to display My power in you and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth (cf. Ex. 9:16). God’s power (cf. Rom. 9:22) was demonstrated as He freed the Israelites from under Pharaoh’s hand. And other nations heard about it and were awed (Ex. 15:14–16; Josh. 2:10–11; 9:9; 1 Sam. 4:8). It is significant that Paul introduced this quotation with the words, For the Scripture says, for he equated the words of God with the words of Scripture. Paul concluded, God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy (cf. Rom. 9:15) and He hardens whom He wants to harden (“make stubborn”; cf. Ex. 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 10:27; 14:4, 8; cf. 14:17). Because of God’s choice, Pharaoh then hardened his own heart (Ex. 7:13–14, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 34–35). All this shows that God chooses and works sovereignly, but not arbitrarily. Yet Pharaoh was responsible for his actions. The Bible Knowledge Commentary:
I've read a lot about election and predestination and basically what it amounts to is that we simply cannot understand it. The more we try the more we tie ourselves up into knots. So to me and many scholars and teachers, this winds up being something we simply have to accept that we cannot fully understand because we are not God and do not have a mind capable of completely understanding something this profound. Therefore what I take from it is what I said before, that God never predestines anyone to Hell, but only predestines people to be saved. Plus that predestination and election are all about God's sovereign will and have nothing to do with our righteousness or lack of it. Therefore again, our salvation is secure since it wasn't our righteousness that caused it in the first place.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 29, 2016 15:38:23 GMT -5
Thank you that really helped....and that is is one of those things we just accept as True ( just like we can't really understand the trinity either, because we are not God).
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,399
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Post by fearnot on Nov 29, 2016 15:55:04 GMT -5
11/29/16
Romans 9: 30-33
I guess I should have included this yesterday, but oh well, I haven't done a 3 verse one in awhile now.
Plus I only got one hour sleep at most last night, so in a way, it works for me as I am really sleepy and tired.
Israel’s Unbelief
The Gentiles obtain righteousness by faith and the Jews did not because they tried to earn it by works.
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Post by Cindy on Nov 30, 2016 11:45:44 GMT -5
Thank you that really helped....and that is is one of those things we just accept as True ( just like we can't really understand the trinity either, because we are not God).11/29/16
Romans 9: 30-33
I guess I should have included this yesterday, but oh well, I haven't done a 3 verse one in awhile now.
Plus I only got one hour sleep at most last night, so in a way, it works for me as I am really sleepy and tired.
Israel’s Unbelief
The Gentiles obtain righteousness by faith and the Jews did not because they tried to earn it by works.
When Jesus died on the cross, all of our sins were imputed to Him—put to His account. He was treated by God as though He had actually committed those sins.The result? All of those sins have been paid for and God no longer holds them against us, because we have trusted Christ as our Saviour. But even more: God has put to our account the very righteousness of Christ! “For He hath made Him [Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). The Bible exposition commentary
As far as our record is concerned, we share the righteousness of Jesus Christ! Just as Jesus literally took all our sins as though He Himself had committed them, so the Father has taken the righteousness of Christ - the perfect life He lived - and put it on each of our records. So when He sees us, He sees the perfect life His Son lived, not our life of sin. When Jesus was on the cross, when the Father looked at Him, He saw sin; when He looks at us, He see righteousness - the righteousness of Christ. Plus, He has determined that He will make us each to be as perfect as His Son, so that while He now sees His Son's perfect life when He sees us, the day will come when we have been made perfect like our Lord, that He will see our own perfect life instead! It's hard for me to explain, and it's so amazing that it's mind boggling! Let me quote from one of my commentaries as Weirsbe explains it better:
Am I trusting in myself for salvation—my morality, my good works, even my religion? If so, then I am not a Christian, for a true Christian is one who has trusted Christ alone. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). It has often been said that “justified” means “just as if I’d never sinned” and this is correct. It brings great peace to the heart to know that one has a right standing before God (Rom. 5:1). Just think: the righteousness of Christ has been put to our account! God has not only declared that we are righteous in Christ, but He deals with us as though we had never sinned at all! We need never fear judgment because our sins have already been judged in Christ on the cross (Rom. 8:1). Salvation means that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us, put to our account; but sanctification means that His righteousness is imparted (given as a gift) to us, made a part of our character and conduct. The Bible exposition commentary
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:18–21)
“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”” (Galatians 2:21)
“I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)
“for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27)
From this it's easy to see how we cannot lose our salvation, because our God sees us as we will be, not as we are now. To Him it's already done. Remember how His Word tells us things that at times seem impossible? Like that we are seated in the heavenlies with Christ right now? “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,” (Ephesians 2:4–6) Right now, you and I are exalted daughters of God! We are seated there with Him now spiritually, but we will be seated with Him physically in what we think of as the future. We have an intimate relationship with God right now, but someday our relationship with Him will also include our physical bodies when they have been made incorruptible too. This shows again too though how God sees the beginning, and the end at the same time, so to Him it's already done. So, if you are already a citizen of heaven, a child of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and co=heir with Him of all that exists; if He literally dwells within you and has promised you personally that He will never leave you, (because for Him to leave you would mean you weren't saved) than please explain how you could ever be unsaved? it's simply impossible. Totally and completely impossible. If we can losour salvation for any reason at all, then our faith is for nothing, and Christ died in vain.
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Almost makes you want to go have another look at it doesn't it? lol Actually all of Romans explains that we will sin and why our sins don't just disappear, as well as explaining all that the Lord has given us to be victorious and how we can know for sure that we're saved. It's a very deep and profound book, and one that has changed many people's lives, including Martin Luther and other famous Christians. In fact, the book of Romans is responsible for the Protestant Reformation as it made men realize that they could do nothing to save themselves or to cause God to save them; that salvation came by grace alone and faith alone, from God alone. Therefore it can't be undone by a puny human being either. Pretty cool huh? 
