Morning Message: Bloodline Restored

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "Bloodline Restored"

Written by:  Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Last week in the teaching, we touched on the Lord’s move from heaven to Earth, leading into Christmas Day, and fulfillment of the Name Emmanuel (God with us, from Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23) “Therefore, the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.”

In Luke’s Gospel, we learn that the virgin’s name was Mary, and her espoused husband was Joseph. We learn there too that Mary remained a virgin until Jesus’ birth.

Both Mary and Joseph were of King David’s Royal Lineage as revealed in the two studies of it in Matthew (Joseph’s) and Luke (Mary’s). Much has been written about Mary’s role in the life of our Savior, but scriptures are all but silent about Joseph after Jesus was 12 years old, and His Earthly parents went looking for Him, returning to Jerusalem, and finding Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-47).

Though little is written of Joseph’s life, we find much has been written concerning Joseph’s ancestry. In his lineage, Joseph is surely of the House of David. But upon a closer look in the Old Testament, we find that his family tree includes Kings that had done evil in the sight of God. King Jehoiakim’s name in particular is omitted from the listing in Matthew 1:10-12. Though a true son in the lineage, Jehoiakim’s name was deliberately deleted, because of a judgement of God.

Follow along as we see what lies in Jesus’ blood line that would cause an ancestor’s name to remain unspeakable, as the Word reveals, and speaks clearly of it. We will find God’s faithfulness to His own Word, in prophetic promises, and in prophetic judgments as well. This should be as much a part of the Christmas Story, as the miraculous birth of Jesus. Miraculous from both Mary and Joseph's families.

From Luke 3:32,

“Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the Son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,...” 

Bobservations' Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Matthew 1:1-17 - "Bloodline Restored"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus, the celebration of a King! How many of our Christmas hymns declare Jesus as King? “Joy to the World, the Lord is come, let earth receive her king.” “Hark! The herald angels sing, glory to the new-born king.” “Noel, noel, noel, noel, born is the king of Israel” (The First Noel). “This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing” (What Child is This?). “Born thy people to deliver, born a child, and yet a King” (Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus).

We know through the prophets, God told his people that he would send a King to defeat their enemies and rule over them with perfect justice and righteousness, someone who’d usher in a kingdom of everlasting peace.

For example, the prophet Micah said, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah…from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose going forth is from of old, from ancient days….And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace” (Micah 5:2, 4-5a).

And the prophet Isaiah, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

And the prophet Jeremiah, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” (23:5).

Through the prophets, God told his people that a King would come to undo the effects of the curse on the world because of sin. Wrongs would be righted. Oppression would cease. The wicked would get what they deserve, and God’s people would dwell in safety and peace. This King would set up a government unlike any the world has ever seen. God’s plan to redeem and remake the world would reach its climax with the coming of this King.

Matthew begins his Gospel with a formal genealogy of Jesus to show his readers at the outset who Jesus is, and what He came to do.

Notice that verse 1 begins, “The book of the generation (genealogy - biblos geneseos) of Jesus Christ.” This is the exact same phrase used in Genesis 2:4, “These are the generations (biblos geneseos) of the heavens and the earth when they were created,” and 5:1, “This is the book of the generations (biblos geneseos) of Adam.”

Matthew uses this phrase to draw a parallel between Jesus and Genesis, between Jesus and God’s creation of the world and Jesus and God’s creation of mankind. Matthew is saying, not so subtly to his original readers, that Jesus came to establish a new creation and is the new Adam. Matthew’s genealogy thus tells us who Jesus is and what he came to do. It tells us that God sent Jesus to remake the world and be the King of a new people.

How do we know who this King is? Well, the writers of the New Testament were convinced that a man named Jesus of Nazareth was this promised King who would come to set things right and bring us back to God.

One of the ways they argue their case that Jesus is this promised King is unexpected and often overlooked: genealogies. It’s no accident that the New Testament opens with the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17). Matthew begins his Gospel with a formal genealogy of Jesus to show his readers at the outset who Jesus is.

The focus of the genealogy is Jesus’ identity as King. We see in His genealogy, that Jesus came from a royal family, that He is the rightful King, He alone has the legitimate claim to the throne. It also shows prophecy being fulfilled in every detail. God is indeed faithful to His promises, and His Word is absolutely trustworthy.

Secondly, we see that through this bloodline, the broken bloodline. Jesus' human family line was far from perfect. Among them we see adulterous, lying, scheming, murderous, idol worshippers.

Matthew is telling us that the Messiah didn’t just come through broken people, but through a broken and decaying nation. This genealogy teaches us that God used broken people and a broken nation to move his plan of redemption forward.

Jesus is the King of grace.

Sunday Morning Audio Message: 

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

Book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ (1:1) - This phrase is viewed by some as Matthew's title for the entire Gospel.  The Greek phrase translated "book of the genealogy" is exactly the same phrase used in Genesis 5:1 in the Septuagint.  Genealogies were extremely important to the Jewish people of the time, and Matthew will write this book with his fellow Jewish readers in mind. In order to back up his claim that Jesus is the Messiah, he will have to start by showing that Jesus is a legitimate descendant of Abraham and especially of David.

Jesus Christ (1:1) - Matthew calls Him "Jesus Christ" from his opening verse. The name Jesus is derived from the Greek version of the name given by Joseph and Mary in obedience to the angel (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31), which is Iēsou. This, in turn, is from the Hebrew Yeho'sua, also translated as "Joshua," which means "the Lord is Salvation." The term Christ means "anointed one, "the exact equivalent of the Hebrew word for "Messiah" (Daniel 9:25). Matthew's Jewish readers would have understood it to mean Messiah. Jesus was both the rightful descendant of King David with a legitimate claim to the throne of Israel and the long-expected Savior of Israel.

Son of David (1:1) - A title used for Messiah in only the synoptic Gospels.

Son of Abraham (1:1) - This title takes Jesus' royal lineage all the way back to the nation's inception in the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1-3).

Matthew's mention of Abraham and David is significant for another reason. They represented God's two great covenants with the nation of Israel. God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3; 22:18) declared Israel to be His chosen people with a promise to bless them greatly. God also told Abraham the entire world would be blessed through his descendants. That promise is fulfilled in Christ.

God's covenant with the great King David, made through the prophecy of the prophet Nathan, was that David's line would rule over Israel forever: "Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever" (2 Samuel 7:16). Matthew will show that Jesus is the ultimate fulfilment of that covenant promise to David, as well.

Tamar (1:3) - Tamar is the first of five women mentioned in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus and not nearly the only person connected to questionable moral choices. This is significant. First, genealogies did not require the mention of any women, at all, since the line was passed through male descendants. Matthew goes out of his way to mention these women, including a conception under questionable circumstances

However, this fits into the focus of Matthew's book: Jesus, who came to offer grace and forgiveness from God to humanity through His own life and death and resurrection. It also fits with the counter-cultural way in which Jesus honored and esteemed women during His ministry on earth. As someone once involved in a profession considered despicable—a tax collector for the Romans—Matthew would have appreciated God's ability to use sinners to accomplish His will.

It is unusual for women to be named in genealogies.  Matthew names five: Tamar was a Canaanite woman who posed as a prostitute to seduce Judah (Genesis 38:13-30).  Rahab (v. 5) was a Gentile and a prostitute (Joshua 2:1).  Ruth (v. 5) was a Moabite woman (Ruth 1:3) and a worshipper of idols.  Bathsheba ("Uriah's wife," v. 6) committed adultery with David (2 Samuel 11).  And Mary (v. 16) bore the perceived stigma of pregnancy outside of wedlock. Each of these women is an object lesson about the workings of divine grace.

Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab . . . Jesse begot David the king (1:5, 6) - This genealogy is not exhaustive.  Several additional generations must have elapsed between Rahab (in Joshua's time) and David (v.6) - nearly four centuries later. Salmon fathered a man named Boaz by a woman named Rahab. This is the second woman mentioned in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus. She was also, remarkably, a Gentile. Her famous story is told in Joshua 2. Rahab was a prostitute living in the town of Jericho who protected Israel's spies because of her confidence in Israel's God. In exchange, Joshua spared her life when the Israelites destroyed Jericho, and he allowed her to live among the people of Israel after they had occupied the Promised Land (Joshua 6:25). Though Rahab was known as "Rahab the prostitute," she is also praised in both Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25 for her faith in God.
Matthew is clearly not interested in protecting the reputation of Jesus' human ancestry. In fact, he seems to go out of his way to show that Jesus is a true son of Israel—from the most to least reputable among them. Though Jesus never sinned, the Bible never suggests the human line He was born into was any more or less sinful than the rest of humanity. Jesus came to die for sinners (Hebrews 4:15–16).

Josiah begot Jeconiah (1:11) - Jeconiah is also called Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:6; 2 Chronicles 36:8) and sometimes Coniah (Jeremiah 22:24).  Jeconiah presence in this genealogy presents an interesting problem.  It was Jeconiah whose sins caused God to cut off his seed from ever sitting on David's throne (Jeremiah 22:30). Jeconiah's royal line of descendants is listed here to show the legal right of Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, to David's throne, even though neither Joseph nor any others of Jeconiah's seed could ever have the spiritual right to the throne. That right was carried through Mary's ancestry. Jesus was heir through Joseph to the royal line of descent, but since he was not an actual son of Joseph and thus not a physical descendant through this line, the curse bypassed him.
Matthew's telling of the line of Jesus, which began with Abraham and continued through David, now comes to a dramatic moment in Israel's history. God had promised King David that his descendants would rule Israel forever (2 Samuel 7:16). They did exactly that, from Solomon all the way through Jeconiah, also known as Jehoiachin. Jeconiah's reign on Israel's throne ended abruptly after only three months when Jerusalem was conquered by Babylon and many of its people carried off into captivity (2 Kings 24:8–17). His brother Zedekiah became a caretaker king over Jerusalem, but he is not in the line of Jesus. Zedekiah's reign ended in 587 BC when Jerusalem was fully and finally destroyed by Babylon after one last rebellion (2 Kings 25).
The era of the Babylonian captivity had begun and the era of the reign of David's descendants seemingly ended. It did not end for good, however. Matthew's point in making this genealogy is to show that Jesus, of David's line, will rule and reign over Israel forever, just as God promised.

Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel (1:12) - The final king in the line of Jesus, Jechoniah—also known as Jehoiachin—was taken to Babylon. He became the father of Shealtiel, who became the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was given permission by Babylon to lead the first group back to Israel, where he became the governor of Judah (Haggai 1:14).  See 1 Chronicles 3:17-10, where Zerubbabel is said to be the offspring of Pedaiah, Shealtiel's brother.  Elsewhere in the OT, Zerubbabel is always called the son of Shealtiel (e.g. Haggai 1:1; Ezra 3:2; Nehemiah 12:1).  Zerubbabel is the last character in Matthew's list who appears in any of the OT genealogies.

Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus (1:16) - This is the only entry in the entire genealogy where the word begot is not used - including those where whole generations were skipped.  The pronoun whom is singular, referring to Mary alone.  The unusual way in which this final entry is phrased underscores the fact that Jesus was not Joseph's literal offspring.  The genealogy, nonetheless, establishes His claim to the throne of David as Joseph's legal heir.

Fourteen Generations (1:17) - Matthew did not set out to make an exhaustive genealogy of Jesus. He is interested in making a historical and legal case. His thesis is that Jesus has a legitimate right to claim His position as a direct descendant of both Abraham and David. Matthew's book will assert that Jesus is, in fact, the fulfilment of God's promises to both of those key figures in Israel's history.

Matthew also set out to build his genealogy in a way that would be easier to follow or easier to remember. To do so, he created three sections, each with 14 names included in it. This does not mean that only 14 generations passed during each period of history. Matthew's readers would have known that only 14 generations are included in each section of his list, though more of them occurred in history.

The sections are Abraham to David, David to the Babylonian exile of Israel, and that deportation to Christ. There are indeed 14 generations included between Abraham and David. Counting David again gives another 14 generations through Josiah. The final 14 begins with Jeconiah and ends with Jesus. Some commentators count them slightly differently. Some scholars have suggested varied opinions as to what Matthew may have intended to represent with the number 14, but no fully satisfying explanation is available.

Morning Message: Moving Day

Bobservations Column
Titled - "Moving Day"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Growing up, my folks put our house up for sale. My father had finished building our house the same year I was born.  The Village was looking for a new Village Clerk, and to qualify for the position, Dad would need to reside in the village. Church and school would be the same, and my friends would be just outside the village. The house did not sell, so we did not move.

Ten years later, another FOR SALE sign went up. The house sold, and a new house was being built. Still just across town, but schools were new, and my old friends were further away. Everything changed on moving day.

This is the time of year when we celebrate changes in the times of The Word of God. He was about to embark on an enormous change. From a Heavenly abode with the Father with no constraints of time, the Word would be born of a virgin into the physical world that He created (Colossians 1:12-16).

He was to enter His world, grow up as a human child, with a human family, under the authority of human parents, and the Father. His new surroundings and life were at the will of His Heavenly Father, and ours. His experiences would be choreographed by the Father, so that nothing would be left undone. The life of Jesus would be exactly as the Father had the Holy Spirit inform the prophets, so that they would write about it and inform the human race of their coming Redeemer (Genesis 3:15).

Today’s message is about dying-to-self, to perform the will of the Father, for the fulfillment of the Father’s Word.

From John 1:1,2 and verse 14,

 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…"

Bobservations' Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Romans 6:1-13 - "Moving Day"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

Last week, as we finished up chapter 5 of Romans, Paul concluded with the beautiful thought that where sin increased, grace super increased all the more. Paul taught that grace is more powerful and greater than all our sin. Adam’s sin changed the world by introducing sin and death (separation from God) into the world. But now Jesus has come and he has also changed the world. Rather than being under the power of sin and death, we can be under the power of grace and receive justification. Now that grace is overflowing, Paul is going to ask us with whom we are in union: Adam and Christ? Humans have a sin problem. God has a grace solution. But it's an absolute solution -- it changes us at the core of who we are. There is no "sort of" salvation, only absolute freedom from the sin that once enslaved us.

Justification and sanctification are two different realities, but they must never be separated and isolated one from the other. If they become totally separated, the logical end is license. If they become merged together, a “works” oriented salvation results.

Paul is moving from freedom from the penalty of sin, (1:18-5:21) to freedom from the power of sin (6:1ff). He has explained “the righteous by faith” in 1:18-5:21, now he is moving on to explain “shall live” and fill out the meaning of the Habakkuk quotation in 1:17—the theme verse of the entire letter. If the cross was sufficient to deliver from the penalty of sin, here it is sufficient to deliver from the power of sin.

As we beging chapter 6 this week, the apostle Paul asks believers a rhetorical question, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” (KJV). This question reflects a common criticism of Paul’s teaching, both in his time and ours. Critics argue that preaching about boundless grace could inadvertently provide a license to sin.

Paul argues, however, that those who have died to sin cannot continue in it: “By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:2, ESV). This does not mean that believers are sinless. Rather, it means that sin is no longer our master: “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” (verses 17–18, KJV).

Freedom from the power of sin is not an end but a means to righteous living. For this reason, Paul writes, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.  "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6:12–14). The proper response to God’s grace is to commit ourselves to righteousness rather than sin.

Romans 6 is emphatically against the idea that grace is a license to sin. Instead of continuing to sin, we ought to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25).

Paul argues that, in spite of our past, all whom God has justified will experience personal holiness (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11a; 1 Timothy 1:12, 13).

Sunday Morning Audio Message:

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

Shall We Continue In Sin (6:1) - Because of his past Pharisaic experience, Paul was able to anticipate the major objections of his critics.  He had already alluded to this criticism, that by preaching a justification based solely on the free grace of God, he was encouraging people to sin (cf. 3:5, 6, 8).

Certainly not! (6:2) - "God forbid!"  This expression, in the strongest sense, repudiates a statement, and it contains a sense of outrage that anyone would ever think the statement was true.

We . . . Died to Sin (6:2) - Not a reference to the believer's ongoing daily struggle with sin, but to a one-time event completed in the past.  Because we are "in Christ" (6:11; 8:1), and He "died in our place" (5:6-8), we are counted dead with Him.  this is the fundamental premise of chapter 6, and Paul spends the remainder of the chapter explaining and supporting it.

Baptized Into Christ Jesus (6:3) - This does not refer to water baptism.  Paul is actually using the word baptized in a metaphorical sense, as we might in saying someone was immersed in his work, or underwent his baptism of fire when experiencing some trouble.  All Christians have, by placing saving faith in Him, been spiritually immersed into the person of Christ, that is, united and identified with Him (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:17; 10:2; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21; 1 John 1:3). Certainly, water baptism pictures this reality, which is the purpose - to show the transformation of the justified.

Into His Death (6:3) - This means that immersion or identification is specifically with Christ's death and Resurrection, as the apostle will explain (6:4-7).

Buried With Him (6:4) - Since we are united by faith with Jesus, as baptism symbolizes, His death and burial become ours.

Newness Of Life (6:4) -This is true if, in Christ, we died and were buried with Him, we have also been united with Him in His resurrection.  There is a new quality and character to our lives, a new principle of life.  This speaks of the believer's regeneration (cf. Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 4:24).  Whereas sin describes the old life, righteousness describes the new life.

Our Old Man (6:6) - A believer's unregenerate self.  The Greek word for "old" does not refer to something old in years but to something that is worn out and useless.  Our old self died with Christ, and the life we now live is a new divinely-given life that is the life of Christ Himself (cf. Galatians 2:20).  We have been removed from the unregenerate self's presence and control, so we should not follow the remaining memories of its old sinful ways as if we were still under its evil influence.

Body Of Sin (6:6) - Essentially synonymous with "our old man."  Paul uses the terms body and flesh to refer to sinful propensities that are intertwined with physical weaknesses and pleasures (8:10, 11, 13 23).  Although the old self is dead, sin retains a foothold in our temporal flesh or our unredeemed humanness, with its corrupted desires (7:14-24).  The believer does not have two competing natures, the old and the new; rather one new nature is still incarcerated in unredeemed flesh.  But the term flesh is not equivalent to the physical body, which can be an instrument of holiness (v. 19; 12:1; 1 Corinthians 6:20).

Done Away (6:6) - Rendered powerless or inoperative.

Has Died (6:7) - Through his union with Christ.

Freed From Sin (6:7) - No longer under its domination and control

We shall Also Live With Him (6:8) - The context suggests that Paul means not only that believers will live in the presence of christ for eternity, but also that all who have died with Christ, which is true of all believers, will live a life here that is fully consistent with His holiness.

Dominion (6:9) - Mastery, control, or domination.

He Died To Sin (6:10) - Christ died to sin  in two senses: (1) in regard to sin's penalty, He met its legal demands upon the sinner; and (2) in regard to sin's power, forever breaking its power over those who belong to Him; and His death will never need repeating (Hebrews 7:26, 27; 9:12, 28; 10:10; cf. 1 Peter 3:18).  Paul's point is that believers have died to sin in the same way.

He Lives To God (6:10) - He lives for God's glory.

Likewise (6:11) - This implies the importance of Paul's readers knowing what he just explained.  Without that foundation, what he is about to teach will not make sense.  Scripture always identifies knowledge as a foundation for one's practice (cf. Colossians 3:10).

Reckon (6:11) - While it simply means to count or number something, it was often used metaphorically to refer to having an absolute, unreserved confidence in what one's mind knows to be true - the kind of heartfelt confidence that affects a person's actions and decisions.  Paul is not referring to mind games in which we trick ourselves into thinking a certain way.  Rather, he is urging us to embrace by faith what God has revealed to be true.

In Christ (6:11) - Paul'[s favorite expression of our union with Christ.  This is its first occurrence in Romans (cf. Ephesians 1:3-14).

Mortal body (6:12) - The only remaining repository which sin finds the believer vulnerable.  The brain and its thinking process are part of the body and thus tempt our souls with its sinful lusts (cf. 8:22, 23; 1 Corinthians 15:53; 1 Peter 2:9-11).

Present (6:13) - Referring to a decision of the will.  Before sin can have power over a believer, it must first pass through his will (cf. Philippians 2:12, 13). 

Your Members (6:13) - The parts of the physical body, the headquarters from which sin operates in the believer (7:18, 22-25; cf. 12:1; 1 Corinthians 9:27).

Instruments of Unrighteousness (6:13) - Tools for accomplishing that which violates God's holy will and law.

Morning Message: The Voice of Joy and Gladness

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "The Voice of Joy and Gladness"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Today’s text begins with the word, “Wherefore.” It is from the Old English usage, identifying that a summary is to follow. The word takes us back to Chapter 3, verse 19, where this theme began. At the end of that opening verse, we learn from verse 23 that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

It’s hard for modern man to acknowledge that even the newest newborn is born into the heritage of sin, even in their innocence. To be born into sin means that sin is somehow inherited from our ancestor(s) in this case.

That would take us to Genesis 5, where we are reminded that Adam was made in the pure likeness of God, while his third named son, Seth, was made in the image of his then fallen father, Adam. It is a spiritual truth, for Adam’s heart was corrupted by his own disobedience to the Father. And we are all descendants of Seth.

Being just 10 days away from Christmas, we should be aware that Seth’s bloodline is the origin of our sinless Savior’s bloodline, "in Whom was no sin, though he was tempted in all points as us yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15), which is the proof that Jesus is the ONLY ONE "immaculate" (spotless, perfect) in conception, because He was conceived by the Holy Ghost.  The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is neither biblical nor necessary. Jesus was miraculously conceived inside Mary, who was a virgin at the time. That is the biblical doctrine of the virgin birth. The Bible never hints that there was anything significant about Mary’s conception. Mary is not an exception to the Bible’s statement that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23). Mary needed a Savior just like the rest of us (Luke 1:47). This is the substance of the Good News of the Gospel, for Jesus broke that chain of sin from His own ancestry. (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38)

So, with chapter 5, the summary continues: "By one man, Adam, sin entered the world, and death by his sin." Adam’s actions changed humanity, and the coming Christ was to change it again by paying for the price of sin in all the world. One might ask Adam why, but before we can ask, God had promised a Redeemer. The prophets wrote of Him, His coming, His attributes, His grace, and mercy, and even His role in God’s creative week of six days. Sin reigned unchecked from Adam to Moses, and then, Moses was appointed to bring us the knowledge of sin by delivering the Law to mankind, and revealing to us God’s displeasure, and judgment due to sin.

Why we celebrate Christmas then becomes clear. Those willing to believe on Jesus are no longer under the Law, but under His grace.

“I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now, I see.”

Bobservations Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Romans 5:12-21 - "The Voice of Joy and Gladness"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

Over the centuries of mankind’s history, many men and women have significantly impacted the destiny of those who followed after them. None, however, has had greater impact than Adam, the first man. In our text, Paul shows just how great the impact of Adam’s “fall” has been upon mankind. Paul stresses this impact to demonstrate that in spite of the curse, which Adam’s sin brought upon the human race, God has provided a cure in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

To the unbeliever, this passage promises and offers not only the forgiveness of sins, but a new beginning, in Christ. To the Christian, there are no more encouraging words than those found here. These words speak not only of the salvation which God has accomplished for us, in Christ, they also lay the foundation for the next section of Romans in chapters 6-8, for the basis for sanctification found in the truths which Paul expounds here. The words of our text are words of life and hope for all mankind, indeed, "The Voice of Joy and Gladness."

A. What happened as a result of Adam's action?

Paul teaches that through the one sin of the one man, Adam,

• Sin entered the world. 5.12
• Death entered the world. 5:12
• Death comes to all men. 5:12
• Death reigned. 5:14
• Many die by the trespass of the one man. 5:15
• The judgement followed one sin. 5:16
• And brought condemnation. 5:16
• Death reigned through one man. 5:17
• Condemnation for all men. 5.18
• Many made sinners. 5:19
• Sin reigned in death. 5:21

B. What happens as a result of Christ's action?

Paul teaches that through the one man, Jesus Christ, all of the above is reversed. Paul refers to:

• Gift. 5:15
• God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflows. 5:15
• Justification. 5:16
• God's abundant provision of grace. 5:17
• The gift of righteousness. 5:17
• We reign in life. 5:17
• Justification that brings life for all men. 5:18
• Many made righteous. 5:19
• Grace reigns through righteousness. 5:21
• Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 5:21

Sunday Morning Audio Message: 

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

Just As . . .Sin Entered (5:12) - Not a particular sin, but the inherent propensity to sin entered the human realm; people became sinners by nature.  Adam passed to all his descendants the inherent sinful nature he possessed because of his first disobedience.  That nature is present from the moment of conception (Psalm 51:5), making it impossible for man to live in a way that pleases God.  Satan, the father of sin (1 John 3:8), first brought temptation to Adam and Even (Genesis 3:1-7).

Through One Man (5:12) - When Adam sinned, all mankind sinned in his loins (v. 18; cf. Hebrews 7:7-10).  Since his sin transformed his inner nature and brought spiritual death and depravity, that sinful nature would be passed on seminally to his posterity as well (Psalm 51:5).  

Death (5:12) - Adam was not originally subject to death but, through his sin, it became a grim certainty for him and his posterity.  Death has three distinct manifestations:  

• Spiritual Death or Separation from God (compare with Ephesians 2:1,2; 4:18).
• Physical death (Hebrews 9:27).
• Eternal Death - also called the second death, which includes not only eternal separation from God, but eternal torment in the lake of fire.

Because All Sinned (5:12) - Because all humanity existed in the loins of Adam, and have through procreation inherited his fallenness, and depravity, it can be said that all sinned in him.  Therefore, humans are not sinners because the sin, but rather they sin because they are sinners.

Sin is not imputed (5:13) - Though all people were regarded as sinners (v.12) , because there was no explicit list of commands, there was no strict accounting of their specific points of violation.

When There is No Law (5:13) - The period from Adam to Moses, when God had not yet given the Mosaic Law.

Nevertheless, Death Reigned (5:14) - But even without the law, death was universal.  All people from Adam to Moses were subject to death, not because of their sinful acts against the Mosaic Law (which they did not yet have), but because of their own inherited sinful nature.

Not Sinned . . . Likeness . . . of Adam (5:14) - Those who had no specific revelation as did Adam (Genesis 2:16, 17) or those who had the Mosaic Law (compare with verse 13), but nevertheless sinned against the holiness of God, i.e., those who "sinned without law" (2:12).

A Type of Him . . . To Come (5:14) - Both Adam and Christ were similar in that their acts affect many others.  This phrase serves as transition from the apostle's discussion of the transference of Adam's sin to the crediting of Christ's righteousness.

Many Died (5:15) - Paul uses the word many with two distinct meanings in verse 15, just as he will the word all in verse 18.  He has already established that all people, without exception, bear the guilt of sin and are therefore subject to death.  So, the "many" who die must refer to all Adam's descendants.

Much More (5:15) - Christ's one act of redemption was immeasurably greater than Adam's one act of condemnation.

The Gift (5:16) - Salvation by grace.  The word gift is an important one in the Bible, and it is good that we understand its definition and implications.  When it comes to the matter of our salvation, the New Testament writers use different Greek words—words that emphasize the gracious and absolutely free quality of the gift. Here are the two words most commonly used for the gift of salvation:

• Dorea, meaning “a free gift.” This word lays particular stress on the gratuitous nature of the gift—it is something given above and beyond what is expected or deserved. Every New Testament occurrence of this word is related to a spiritual gift from God. It is what Jesus offers to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:10). It is the “unspeakable [or indescribable] gift” in 2 Corinthians 9:15. This gracious gift is identified as the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38; 8:20; and 11:17.  The adverb form of this word is dorean, translated “freely” in Matthew 10:8; 2 Corinthians 11:7; Revelation 21:6; 22:17. In Romans 3:24, immediately following God’s pronouncement of our guilt, we have this use of dorean: “Being justified FREELY by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” The gift of salvation is free, and the motive for the gift is nothing more than the grace of the Giver.
• Charisma, meaning “a gift of grace.” This word is used to define salvation in Romans 5:15-16. Also, in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT [charisma] of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This same word is used in conjunction with the gifts of the Spirit received after salvation (Romans 12:6; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Peter 4:10).

Condemnation (5:16) - The opposite of justification.  It refers to a verdict of guilty and the penalty that verdict demands. 

Many Offenses (5:16) - Adam brought upon all people the condemnation for only one offense - his willful act of disobedience.  Christ, however, delivers the believer from the condemnation of many offenses.

Justification (5:16) - This legal term comes from the Greek word for "righteous" and means "to declare righteous." This verdict includes pardon from the guilt and penalty of sin, and the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believer's account, which provides for the positive righteousness man needs to be accepted by God. God declares a sinner righteous solely on the basis of the merits of Christ's righteousness. God imputed a believer's sin to Christ's account in His sacrificial death (Isaiah 53:4, 5; 1 Peter 2:24), and He imputes Christ's perfect obedience to God's Law to Christians (5:19; 1 Corinthians 1:30. The sinner receives this gift of God's grace by faith alone. Sanctification, the work of God by which He progressively makes righteous those whom He has already justified, is distinct from justification but without exception, always follows it (8:30).

Death Reigned (5:17) - Adam's sin brought universal death - exactly opposite the result he expected, and Satan had promised:  "You will be like God" (Genesis 3:5).  Christ's sacrifice brought salvation to those who believe.

Gift of Righteousness (5:17) - Righteousness that is from God.  The gospel reveals that on the basis of faith - and faith alone - God will impute His righteousness to ungodly sinners.

Will Reign in Life (5:17) - Unlike Adam's act, Christ's act has - and will - accomplish exactly what He intended (Philippians 1:6), spiritual life (Ephesians 2:5).

One Man's Righteous Act (5:18) - This is not a reference to a single event, but generally to Christ's obedience (cf. v. 19; Luke 2:49; John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38), culminating in the greatest demonstration of that obedience, death on a cross (Philippians 2:8).

Free Gift . . . To All Men (5:18) - This cannot mean that all people will be saved; salvation is only for those who exercise faith in Jesus Christ (cf. 1:16,17; 3:22, 28; 4:5, 13).  Paul using "all" with two different meanings for the sake of parallelism, a common practice in the Hebrew OT.

Made Righteous (5:19) - This expression probably refers to one's legal status before God and not an actual change in character, since Paul is contrasting justification and condemnation throughout this passage, and he has not yet introduced the doctrine of sanctification (chapters 6-8) which deals with the actual transformation of the sinner as a result of redemption.

The Law Entered (5:20) - Although the Mosaic Law is not flawed (7:12), its presence caused man's sin to increase (cf. 7:8-11).  Thus, it made people more aware of their own sinfulness and inability to keep God's perfect standard (7:7; Galatians 3:21,22), and it served as a tutor to drive them to Christ (Galatians 3:24).

Morning Message: Justification's Benefits

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "Justification's Benefits"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Today, we learn what the Holy Spirit taught Paul by way of correction. When Paul was a “Pharisee of the Pharisees,” he lived under The Law of the Jewish faith. He believed in his faith, but missed the plain simple truth of what faith was according to God’s definition.

Even in the Disney production of Snow White, she knew that “one day, my prince will come.” She sang of it and believed it. She was willing to wait for that day in hope and trust. There was nothing she could do to hasten his arrival, so she simply believed, she remained strong and believed he would come. The old cartoons were full of the ancient theme of Good vs. Evil: Cinderella, Mighty Mouse, Road Runner, Snidely Whiplash & Nell, Superman, Rocky & Bullwinkle, vs. Boris & Natasha; you name them, that was their theme. In due time, the hero would appear and save the day.

Walking by faith, and not by sight is the key, and it is sometimes hard to learn that simple admonishment from God. Even our best good works cannot save us, because they are things we do in the flesh of our human bodies. The scriptures tell us that all of our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).  Following the Law out of a sense of duty is one of those fleshly works. That is how Paul lived as a Pharisee (Compare with Galatians chapter 3: 2, 5, & 10).

God knows that His created children rebel against rules, just like Adam and Eve in the Garden, so He made the way to heaven easy; simply believe in the Word of God-made flesh, Who dwelt among us. He even supplies the faith for us to do that! Adam and Eve broke God’s one rule. The world became increasingly evil. Everyone but Noah and his family paid the price. Eight people saved because Noah was obedient when he and his three sons believed and built the ark.

Two hundred, thirteen ordinances followed, all having been broken after they’d been given to Moses, for him to pass onto the people. No one escapes God’s judgment, that is, except those that believe in God’s Son, and put their faith in Him.

From Habakkuk 3:4 -

“Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”

Bobservations' Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Romans 5:1-11 - "Justification's Benefits"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

Last week we learned that Abraham’s faith was counted to him as righteousness. Abraham was declared right and acquitted by his faith in God. Our faith in Jesus will also be counted to us as righteousness. We become the offspring of Abraham and are recipients of God’s promise by having faith in God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. What great hope and consolation! It was counted to him was not for Abraham alone. These things were written for our sake also.

God is able to count us righteous because of Jesus who was delivered for our trespasses and raised for our justification. This is an important statement. Until this point the emphasis has been on the faithful life of Jesus. God’s righteousness has been revealed through the faithful life that Jesus lived so that by having faith in Jesus we can be pronounced righteous. But now Paul brings in two other aspects that we are to consider when thinking about the faithful life of Jesus. First, Jesus was delivered up. This is a vague reference to Jesus’ death, a point more clearly stated in Romans 5:8. Jesus was handed over and delivered up to death for our trespasses. Paul uses the word “trespass” which carries the same force as “sin” but is just a different image. The word “trespass” means “a false step” (NAS Greek). Jesus was delivered to death because of our missteps. Second, Jesus was raised from the dead for our justification. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead plays a vital role in our justification. We need the faithful life of Jesus. But we also need his death to pay the price for our sins. In chapter 6 the apostle Paul will explain more about why the resurrection of Jesus is important. But I want us to see that the faithfulness of Jesus includes his death and resurrection. Further, notice that Paul implies that this was all part of God’s plan and not an accident. Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses, not as an accident. Jesus was raised for our justification, not because Israel ruined God’s intentions.

Jesus our Lord did this for us. The promises made to Abraham have become a reality through Jesus. Justification of the world has been accomplished in the faithful life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The promise that the world would be blessed has been accomplished in Jesus. Now the apostle Paul is going to reveal what else we have in Jesus.

As we get into this week's study, we begin to see the benefits, indeed the blessings of being justified before God. Being right with God brings us peace, grace, joy, and love. And above all, it means we no longer have to fear the wrath of God against sin because our sin has been forgiven in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Before we consider the results or benefits of justification, we first need to know what justification is. Put simply, justification is the act of God’s free grace in which He declares a guilty sinner to be counted as righteous on account of the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross. It’s an act of God’s grace that is received through faith.

What are the Benefits of our Justification (5:1-5, 9-11)

• We have peace with God (5:1, 10-11)
• We stand in grace (5:2a)
• We have hope in the glory of God (5:2b)
• The hope of glory seen
• The hope of glory received
• In this we rejoice 
• We have joy in suffering (5:3-5) 
• We have the gift of the Holy Spirit (Who communicates the love of God to us) (5:5)
• We have the assurance of deliverance from the future wrath of God (5:9)
• We have reason to rejoice in God (5:11)

What is the Means of our Justification (5:6-8) 

• The love of God and the death of Christ (5:6, 8) 
• An illustrative comparison (5:7-8)
• An undeserved gift received by faith (5:1)

Sunday Morning Audio Message: 

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

Having Been Justified (5:1) - To declare righteous. Justification is a one-time legal declaration with continuing results, not an ongoing process. 

Peace With God (5:1) -Not a subjective, internal sense of calm and serenity, but an external, objective reality.  God has declared Himself to be at war with every human being because of man's sinful rebellion against Him and His laws (v. 10; cf. 1:18; 8:7; Exodus 22:24; Deuteronomy 32:21,22; Psalm 7:11; John 3:36; Ephesians 5:6).  But the first great result of justification is that the sinner's war with God is ended forever (Colossians 1:21,22).  Scripture refers to the end of this conflict as a person's being reconciled to God (vv. 10, 11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20). 

Access (5:2) - Used only twice in the New Testament (Ephesians 2:18; 3:12), this word always refers to the believer's access to God through Jesus Christ.  What was unthinkable to the Old Testament Jew (cf. Exodus 19:9, 20, 21; 28:35) is now available to all (Jeremiah 32:38, 40; Hebrews 4:16; 10:19-22; cf. Matthew 27:51).

Stand (5:2) - This refers to the permanent, secure position believers enjoy in God's grace (cf. v. 10; 8:31-34; John 6:37; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 1:12; Jude 24).

Hope of the Glory of God (5:2) -Unlike the English word hope, the New Testament word contains no uncertainty; it speaks of something that is certain, but not yet realized.  The believer's ultimate destiny is to share in the very glory of God (8:29, 30; John 17:22; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:20, 21; 1 John 3:1, 2), and that hope will be realized because Christ Himself secures it (1 Timothy 1:1).  Without the clear and certain promises of the Word of God, the believer would have no basis for hope (15:4; Psalm 119:81, 114; Ephesians 2:12; cf. Jeremiah 14:8). 

Tribulations (5:3) - A word used for pressure, like that of a press squeezing the oil from olives.  Here, they are not the normal pressures of living (cf. 8:35), but the inevitable troubles that come to followers of Christ because of their relationship with Him (Matthew 5:10-12; John 15:20; 2 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 3:3; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:19).  Such difficulties produce rich spiritual benefits (vv. 3, 4).

Patience (5:3) - Can be translated "perseverance," this word refers to endurance, the ability to remain under great pressure without succumbing (15:5; Colossians 1:22, 23; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; Revelation 14:12).

Experience (5:4) - A better translation is "proven character."  The Greek word simply means "proof."  It was used of testing metals to determine their purity.  Her, the proof is Christian character (cf. James 1:12).  Christians can glory in tribulations because of what those troubles produce.

Love of God Shed Abroad (5:5) - God's love for us (cf. v. 8) has been lavishly poured out to the point of overflowing within our hearts.  Paul moves from the objective aspects of our security in Christ to the internal, more subjective.  God has implanted within our hearts EVIDENCE that we belong to Him in that we love the One who first loved us (1 Corinthians 16:22; cf. Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 3:14-19; 1 John 4:7-10).

The Holy Ghost Who Was Given (5:5) - Each person who trusts in Christ has been given God's own Holy Spirit to live in our hearts—in our inner being. That may be the most powerful benefit Paul has mentioned.  A marvelous testimony to God's love for us (8:9, 14, 16, 17; John 7:38, 39; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20; 12:13; Ephesians 1:18). 

Without Strength (5:6) - Literally means "helpless."  Unregenerate sinners are spiritually dead and incapable of doing anything to help themselves (John 6:44; Ephesians 2:1).

In Due Time (5:6) - At the moment God had chosen (cf. Galatians 4:4).

Christ Died for the Ungodly (5:6) - God's love for His own is unwavering because it is not based on how lovable we are, but on the constancy of His own character; God's supreme act of love came when we were at our most undesirable (cf. Matthew 5:46).

Righteous Man . . . Good Man (5:7) - Christ loved us “while we were sinners,” while we were worthy only of His eternal wrath. It is unlikely that one would be willing to die for a "righteous" man. Perhaps, though, one might be willing to die for a “good” man. But our Lord died for the unrighteous and the no-good. “While we were yet sinners,” Christ died for us. Now we begin to comprehend that the love of God was dramatically displayed in our justification. His love was poured out in our hearts. And this same love assures us of the hope we have in God’s future promises being fulfilled. As uncommon as such a sacrifice is, Paul's point is that we were neither of these persons - yet Christ sacrificed Himself for us. 

Much More (5:9) - What Paul is about to say next is even more amazing and wonderful!  If God demonstrates His love for us while we were yet sinners, surely God’s love for us will be even more evident as His children, by faith.

By His Blood (5:9) - Paul is now stressing that our justification originates with God, as a demonstration of His love. How incomprehensible! That which God did for us, out of His love, was at the cost of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus' violent, substitutionary death.  References to the blood of the Savior include the reality that He bled in His death (a necessity to fulfill the Old Testament imagery of sacrifice) but are not limited to the fluid itself.  New Testament writers also use the term blood as a graphic way to describe violent death (see Matthew 23:30, 35; 27:4-8, 24, 25; John 6:53-56; Acts 5:28; 20:26). References to the Savior's blood are not simply pointing to the fluid, but His death and entire atoning work (cf. 3:25; Ephesians 1:7; 2:13; Colossians 1:14, 20; Hebrews 9:12; 10:19; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:2, 19; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5).

Wrath (5:9) - The apostle Paul argues for assurance of salvation. He emphasizes that Christ's blood is the means by which we are justified. Paul shows that there is no other way to become right with God than by Christ's death for us. Those who have been justified by Christ's blood will be saved from God's wrath. Christ bore the full fury of God's wrath in the believing sinner's place, and there is none left for him (see 8:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9).

Saved By His Life (5:10) - When we were God's enemies, Christ was able by His death to reconcile us to God.  Certainly, now that we are God's children, the Savior can keep us by His living power.

The Atonement (5:11) - The reconciliation of God and mankind through Jesus Christ.   In Christ, our relationship to God is restored. It is God's will that sinful men be reconciled to Himself. 

Morning Message: Faith Wins for Jew and Gentile

Bobservations' Column
Titled - "Faith Wins for Jew and Gentile"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Though Thanksgiving Day is behind us, this is still Thanksgiving weekend. Travelers are still traveling, and the Holiday Season has just begun. The hype of retailers getting the newest, most fashionable, and most fun items to the marketplace is at the forefront of their minds. How to sell it, how to present it, and where to advertise it, all comes into play. Simply put, they want your money.

But that’s not what Christmas is all about. It’s about Jesus; it’s about celebrating Him, and His birth. The date was chosen at random, but it’s the date chosen, for we do not know the precise date of Jesus’ birth. And interestingly, we are assured that it is not December 25th. Nonetheless, it is the traditional date chosen to celebrate the Birth of our Lord and Savior.

The Roman festival of Saturnalia and the “rebirth” of the Roman sun god, Sol Invictus coincide with December 25th, but in 336 A.D., it was The Roman Emperor Constantine who chose the date deliberately to weaken Pagan beliefs, and holidays of his Empire. The citizens of Rome were still hooked on the gods of ancient Rome. During Constantine’s reign, Christianity was growing but unfortunately had to compete with Pagan beliefs. It was a time of growth for Christianity, and Constantine was keen to squelch the pagan beliefs that were so deeply ingrained in the citizens of the Empire.

Pagan beliefs remain popular, but to a much lesser degree. Still though, this can be a season of evangelism, teaching, and sharing the love of Christ Jesus with the spirit of joy and giving. After all, the Lost are still lost.

It was the work of the Apostles, “When they were filled, He said unto His disciples to gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” John 6:12

Bobservations' Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Romans 4:13-25 - "Faith Wins for Jew and Gentile"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

"The flesh is a built-in law of failure, making it impossible for the natural man to please or serve God. It is a compulsive inner force inherited from man’s fall, which expresses itself in general and specific rebellion against God and His righteousness. The flesh can never be reformed or improved. The only hope for escape from the law of the flesh is its total execution and replacement by a new life in the Lord Jesus Christ." (Mark Bubeck, The Adversary, Moody Press, p. 28.)

Those who are trying for salvation often lean on either their own imagined goodness or some kind of religious observance or a combination of both. In the previous passages we have seen how the Jews boasted in circumcision and the law. Paul has already made it clear that there must be an inward change of heart, and that mere external observances can never save a lost sinner.

Paul proceeds to show how Abraham was pronounced righteous before he was circumcised, based on his faith alone (vv. 9-12). He does this by asking the Jews whether Abraham’s justification occurred before or after he was circumcised. Abraham’s age when he was declared righteous (Genesis 15:6) is not stated. However, when Hagar bore Ishmael Abraham was 86 (Genesis 16:16). It was not until he was 99 years old that he was circumcised (Genesis 17:23-27). This means that the circumcision of Abraham followed his justification by faith by more than 13 years.

Circumcision was an outward sign of the justification that Abraham had already received. Therefore, both Jews and Gentiles must do more than be circumcised to be right with God. They must also walk in the footsteps of faith like Abraham did. Abraham was justified by believing God’s promise, and not by obeying God’s law; for God’s law had not been given yet through Moses. The same is true today. God justifies the ungodly because they believe in His precious promise, and not because they keep the law.

We cannot through our own perceived good works earn salvation.  The Bible says, “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way, death came to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). It was through Adam that sin entered the world. When Adam sinned, he immediately died spiritually—his relationship with God was broken—and he also began dying physically—his body began the process of growing old and dying. From that point on, every person born has inherited Adam’s sin nature and suffered the same consequences of spiritual and physical death.

Paul has already written that there are none righteous.  Our self-imagined goodness is already sin stained; therefore, we cannot earn our salvation through our works or religious observance. 

It wasn’t the law that gave Abraham the promise but the righteousness of faith. It is faith in the promise of God that has value not the law itself.

Abraham is our father in the faith in the sight of God. Abraham believed in hope and it was that unwavering faith that brought the promise to fruition.

Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness, but those words are for us also, for when we believe in Christ’s death and resurrection God makes us righteous.

Faith is not just about abstract belief in God. Abraham trusted God’s promise about his heritage, the destiny of descendants yet to come. He didn’t just believe a promise, he bet his whole family’s future on God’s faithfulness.

True faith is an all or nothing venture. No safety nets or Plan B.

Salvation is about trusting that God is who He says He is. We come to Him with no goodness of our own and we trust Him to show us mercy because of Christ.

We need also to live by that kind of faith in our daily life. 

God is faithful and when we trust Him, He credits it to us as righteousness.

Scripture makes it clear that there is indeed a way to God, but that it is not based on anything men can do to achieve or merit it.  Man can be made right with God, but not on his own terms or in his own power.  In that basic regard Christianity is distinct from every other religion in the world.  As far as the way of salvation is concerned, there are therefore only two religions the world has ever known or will ever know - the religion of divine accomplishment, which is biblical Christianity, and the religion of human achievement, which includes all other kinds of religion, by whatever names they may claim.

Salvation comes by faith through God's grace alone.  It is only in the finished work of Christ, put your faith in Him.

Sunday Morning Audio Message:  

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

Promise . . . Heir of the World (4:13) - This refers to Christ and is the essence of the covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 12:3; 15:5; 18:18; 22:18).  The final provision of that covenant was that through Abraham's seed all the world would be blessed (Genesis 12:3).  Paul argues that "the seed" refers specifically to Christ and that this promise really constituted the gospel (Galatians 3:8, 16; cf. John 8:56).  All believers, by being in Christ, become heirs of the promise (Galatians 3:29; cf. 1 Corinthians 3:21-23).

Not . . . Through the Law (4:13) - That is, not as a result of Abraham's keeping the law.

Those Who are of the Law (4:14) - If only those who perfectly keep the law - an impossibility - receive the promise, faith has no value.

Promise . . . of No Effect (4:14) - Making a promise, contingent on an impossible condition nullifies the promise.

Law Brings About Wrath (4:15) - By exposing man's sinfulness ( cf. 7:7-11; Galatians 3:19, 24).

Of Faith (4:16) - Justification is through faith alone, and...

According to Grace (4:16) - The power of justification is God's great grace, not man's faith.

Promise (4:16) - refers to verse 13.

Those Who Are of the Law (4:16) - Believing Jews.

Those Who Are of the Faith of Abraham (4:16) - Believing Gentiles.

Father of Us All (4:16) - Abraham is the father of the Jews, physically speaking, and also of all who are justified by faith, spiritually speaking. "They which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham" (Galatians 3:7).

Father of Many Nations (4:17) - This promise (Genesis 17:5) has been literally fulfilled, as wells as spiritually.  Abraham is the ancestor of the Israelites and also of all the Arabic nations, as others.  Probably most of the Middle Eastern Islamic nations have at least some degree of genetic descent from Abraham.

As It is Written (4:17) - Quoted from Genesis 17:5.

Gives Life to the Dead (4:17) - Abraham had experienced this firsthand (Hebrews 11:11, 12; cf. Romans 4:19).

Calls Those Things Which Do Not Exist as Though They Did (4:17) - This is another reference to the forensic nature of justification.  God can declare believing sinners to be righteous, even though they are not, by imputing His righteousness to them, just as God made or declared Jesus "to be sin for us" and punished Him, though He was not a sinner.  Those whom He justifies, He will conform to the image of His Son (8:29, 30).

Contrary to Hope (4:18) - From the human perspective, it seemed impossible (cf. v. 19).  

That Which Was Spoken (4:18) - This promise was "spoken" by God (Genesis 15:5).

Weak In Faith (4:19) - This occurs when doubt erodes one's confidence in God's Word.

The Deadness of Sarah's Womb (4:19) - She was only ten years younger than Abraham (Genesis 17:17), ninety years old (well past Childbearing age) when they received the promise of Isaac.

Able Also to Perform (4:21) - The essence of saving faith is taking God at His Word, no matter how difficult it may seem.  God's promise to Abraham was beyond all reason and human experience, but Abraham believed it, and we see the result. This should be our example with regard to the promises that are yet to be fulfilled.

The Promise (4:20) - Of the birth of a son (Genesis 15:4; 17:16; 18:10).  

Giving Glory to God (4:20) - Believing God affirms His existence and character and thus gives Him glory (cf. Hebrews 11:16; 1 John 5:10). God's glory is reflected back to Him through acts of personal devotion that are God directed, the activities of personal worship that glorify God:  confessing sins (1 Corinthians 10:31); submitting to Christ (Philippians2:9-11); Obeying God (2 Corinthians9:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:12) . . . etc.

Therefore (4:22) - Because of his genuine faith (see Genesis 15:6)

Not . . . For His Sake Alone (4:23) - Scripture has universal application (cf. 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17), and Abraham's experience is no exception.  If Abraham was justified by faith, then all other people are justified on the same basis.

Romans 4:25 - A paraphrase of the LXX (Septuagint) (Greek translation of the Old Testament) rendering of Isaiah 53:12.  

Delivered Up (4:25) - Meaning crucified.

Because of Our Justification (4:25) - The Resurrection provided proof that God had accepted the sacrifice of His Son and would be able to be just and yet justify the ungodly.