Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.

Babies in Church
I like how the NLT phrases 3:2-3:     

"I had to feed you with milk and not with solid food, because you couldn’t handle anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your own sinful desires. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your own desires? You are acting like people who don’t belong to the Lord."

This passage isn't necessarily a very famous or popular couple of verses - you don't see it on pleasant Christian paintings or hear that it's someone's "life verse" - but it is hugely important.  Along with a lot of other passages, these verses show a clear connection between what we know about the Bible/theology and our action.

Paul wanted to teach them so much more than he did.  He wanted to teach them to know God deeply and understand the Scriptures well, but he couldn't.  In essence he says here, "I wanted to treat you like big people and teach you things that are important and worthwhile, but you're not ready for it.  Instead I had to treat you like babies."  He goes on to say that they're still acting like babies!  Why?  Because they are controlled by their sinful desires.  Because they are jealous.  Because they fight.  The last sentence sums it up: "You are acting like people who don't know God."

Wow.  Well, Paul isn't really known for holding his feelings back, and this is definitely another case of brutal honesty.  There's a reason for his honesty: this isn't just a case of spiritual babies wrecking their own lives: "By remaining immature and allowing that immaturity to divide them, they were wreaking havoc on the church." [1] Also, "Their quarreling not only mocks the cross-centered gospel (1:18–2:5) but fails to recognize the fundamental equality of all believers when measured against the attributes and character of God." [2]

In this case Paul is speaking specifically of those who claim a certain "famous" person as their master, making them better than someone else.  This would probably be akin to saying "I follow Pastor Greg" or "I follow Pastor ________" in a church context.  Let's clarify here:  we all follow JESUS.  This is what Paul focuses on here, but his comments can definitely be extended to division and quarreling under other circumstances as well.

So what does this mean for us today?  What's the application?

"The foundation of the church—of all believers—is Jesus Christ. Nothing and no one else will do, wrote Paul. A building with no foundation, or one poorly constructed, will not last. The finest materials used to construct a home quickly rot and fall apart if they are resting on the ground. And a building is only as solid as its foundation. The foundation of our lives is Jesus Christ; he is our base, our reason for being. Everything we are and do must fit into the pattern provided by him. Are you building your life on the only real and lasting foundation, or are you building on a faulty foundation such as wealth, security, success, or fame? Be careful how you build." [3]

A shared national culture or socioeconomic culture or age culture will NEVER be enough to hold a church together.  You can hold things together just by having a similar background - a church holds together through the foundation of Jesus.  If He is foundation, He will always be there through the fighting and confusion and frustration.  He MUST be the foundation for a church to last.

Also, think about yourself: what would Paul say to you?  Are you eating spiritual "solid food"?  Are you understanding the Bible deeply and being changed by it?  If not, why?  Is your life controlled by your desires rather than the Spirit? Are a life indistinguishable from someone who doesn't know Jesus?  If you want to get closer to God but feel frustrated, are you doing the basic "milk" of spiritual life?  Are you studying the Bible regularly?  Are you praying regularly?  Are you examining your life and repenting of your sin regularly?  If you're not, I think I can tell you right now why you feel far from God.

This passage is rich with implications for our churches and spiritual lives.  Don't keep it in the past:  thinking this is just about the messed up church in Corinth with its baby Christians.  Make sure you ask yourself: "Is this us (as a church)?  Is this me?"  If it is, pay VERY close attention to what Paul says in this passage.  Take his warning.  Do you what you can to fix it:  cling to the cross.

Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.

Randomness
In reading and researching for today's post, I found a lot of good, brief thoughts on different areas.  Just wanted to share some of those random, good thoughts in no particular order.  I hope they're encouraging!

Thoughts on what Christian wisdom means:
"While there is a foolishness to the gospel, there is also a wisdom that the Corinthians must understand in order to overcome their divisiveness. The content of that wisdom remains a profoundly cross-centered Christianity..."  [1] (emphasis mine)

Next, an explanation of "secret wisdom" (translated differently in various translations, but important to understand):
“God’s secret wisdom” (v. 7a) is literally “wisdom in a mystery.” But the word mystery in the New Testament most commonly refers to components of the gospel once hidden but now revealed." [2]

Brief summary of what Paul is saying about how to avoid division:
"In addition to the first two methods—Christians must concentrate on what is going right (1:1–9) and on Christ and him crucified (1:18–2:5)—now Paul advocates that they focus on true godly wisdom (2:6–16)." [3]

On humility, learning, teaching, and knowing God:
   "Paul challenged the Corinthians to consider the true source of their knowledge and experience of God. They were arguing over personalities and forgetting that God reveals himself to people by the Spirit. They needed a renewed perspective.
    The greatest teachers never tell more about God than they have received, nor do they stop being human themselves. They are part of God’s training program, but they cannot replace the Spirit of God. The daily personal disciplines of the Christian life—prayer, study of the Scriptures, obedient actions—all require time and attention. But their effectiveness depends on our reliance on God’s Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to keep reminding you of his presence." [4] (emphasis mine)

Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.

For Fools
Today's passage is continuation of yesterday's thought - the cross is not for winners, but losers.  Not for those who deem themselves wise - for them it will seem foolish.  The cross, the world says, is for fools. 

Moo has some thoughts on the implications of this for us:

    "The same standards for popularity—wisdom, power, and money—remain in our culture. These determine who receives adulation from their peers in our schools. They form the heart of the lure of most advertising campaigns. And their inroads into the church must always be thwarted. Much Western Christianity has fallen to a “suburban captivity” which domesticates the gospel and loses the central focus of the Scriptures on the spiritually and physically poor and needy of this world. Healthy churches will combat this trend by expending significant portions of their budgets and personal attention on evangelism and social action, locally and globally, in balanced combinations. And 1:30 directs our attention to another pair of priorities that cannot be divorced—correct knowledge and correct behavior. Too many today, both inside and outside of the church, more closely resemble the ancient Greek philosophers who drove a wedge between inward spirituality and outward morality.
    First Corinthians 2:1–5 forces us to raise the question of styles of Christian preaching and leadership. Fundamental matters of the faith require forceful proclamation; peripheral ones, more tentative affirmation. The authority of the Word must not be supplanted by authoritarian styles of proclamation and administration. Highly polished turns of phrase must never overwhelm the clarity and correctness of the essential message. In many large and gifted congregations, we need more worship and less performance.
    It is interesting to compare possibly the three greatest evangelists in North America during the last 150 years—D. L. Moody, Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham. Neither Moody nor Graham was known for impressing audiences with lofty rhetoric; frequently their sermons were deemed simplistic. Sunday was known for a flashy style, but he still preached a very basic gospel message. But all three centered on the cross and the need for personal conversion. As a result, they gave encouragement to millions of “down-and-outers,” and countless came to the Lord through their preaching." [1]

Also, it's been a while since I've posted media of any kind, and there is a song that is great for today's passage.  Enjoy!

Nichole Nordeman - Fool For You

There are times when faith and common sense do not align
When hardcore evidence of you is hard to find
And I am silenced in the face of argumentative debate
And its a long hill its a lonely climb

Cause they want proof
They want proof of all these mysteries I claim
Cause only fools believe would want to chant a dead man's name
Maybe its true, yeah but...

I will be a fool for you
Oh because you asked me to
A simpleton who's seemingly naive
I do believe You came and made yourself a fool for me

I admit that in my darkest hours I've asked what if
What if we've created some kind of man made faith like this
Out of good intention, or emotional invention
And after life is through there will be no you

Cause they want proof of all these miracles I claim
Cause only fools believe that men can walk on waves
Maybe its true, yeah but...

I will be a fool for you
Oh because you asked me to
A simpleton who's seemingly naive
I do believe You came and made yourself a fool for me

Unaware of popularity
Unconcerned with dignity
You've made me free
That's proof enough for me

I'd be a fool for you
Oh if you ask me to
A simpleton who's only thinking of
The cross of love
I will speak Jesus' name
If that makes me crazy
They can call me crazed
I'm happy to be seemingly naive
I do believe you came and made yourself a fool for me

Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.

Introduction to 1 Corinthians: Don't Empty the Cross of Its Power
As always, I want to give some quick introductory material as begin a new book (in this case, letter).  Here's what the ESV notes have to say as an introduction to 1 Corinthians:

"The city of Corinth was at the heart of an important trade route in the ancient world. Like many cities that thrive on trade, Corinth had a reputation for sexual immorality, religious diversity, and corruption. The church that Paul planted there (Acts 18) floundered under all of these influences and began to divide over various issues. First Corinthians addresses many practical questions dividing the church—questions concerning such things as spiritual gifts, marriage, food offered to idols, and the resurrection. Paul urged the Corinthians to be unified and to give themselves fully to “the work of the Lord” (15:58). Chapter 13 includes a well-known passage on the nature and importance of love. Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians from Ephesus about A.D. 55." [1]

Also, here's a really helpful outline of the book to give you the "big picture" of what it's about:

" A.      Introduction (1:1–9)
      1.      Greeting (1:1–3)
      2.      Thanksgiving (1:4–9)
    B.      Reported problems at Corinth (1:10–6:20)
      1.      Factions within the church because of the misunderstanding of Christian leadership’s (Paul, Apollos, Peter) motives and message (1:10–4:12)
      2.      Shocking immorality (5:1–13)
      3.      Christian lawsuits (6:1–11)
      4.      Christian freedom limited by responsibility (6:12–20)
    C.      A letter from Corinth asking the nagging questions (7:1–1–16:4)
      1.      Human sexuality (7:1–40)
      2.      Relationship to an idolatrous culture and Christian freedom (8:1–11:1)
      3.      Christian worship and spirituality (11:2–14:40)
      4.      Insights on eschatology, especially the resurrection (15:1–58)
      5.      The contribution for the mother church in Jerusalem (16:1–4)
    D.      Concluding remarks
      1.      Paul’s (and his fellow ministers) travel plans (16:5–12)
      2.      Final exhortation and greetings (16:13–24)" [2]

In closing, I just want to say that I think this is a VERY important book.  Romans is important for its deep theology; 1 Corinthians is important for its deeply practical nature.  The church in Corinth was messed up, but the fact is that many of our churches today are ridiculously messed up as well (many of them in exactly the same ways).

Take a look at today's reading: what's the issue?  Division.  Why?  Because rather than following Jesus, people instead follow factions and heroes.  Paul appeals to them to have unity FOR THE NAME OF JESUS.  Jesus is not divided, therefore we shouldn't be.  The Gospel is not for the purpose of making "teams".  The Gospel is not about who wins and who loses.  The Gospel is not about eloquent words, lest the cross be emptied of its power.

Our goal is not to be the most powerful or liked or to have our group "win" the argument with nice words.  The cross is about sacrifice.  Don't empty the cross of its power.

Click here to read today’s passage on Bible Gateway.

Bible Greetings and Romans Review

The big question for today:  how should we as modern readers deal with/apply passages like Romans 16 with a lot of personal greetings?  There is a story about the great Bible scholar F.F. Bruce being asked an interesting question in class one day: “When we all meet Paul in heaven, what do you think will strike us the most about him?” He thought for a while, then answered, “How many friends he has.”  I think this is a great application and understanding of Romans 16.  We can often think of Paul as a guy who just churns out letters and gets in shipwrecks and stuff, but in a passage such as this we can see just a little how many friends this man had.  He was driven and proclaimed the Gospel at any cost.  He certainly made enemies, but he also made many friends.  Second, and I think this is an important thought for reading any list of people in the Bible (ones like this, genealogies, etc.), it’s important to remember that these are real people.  That had real lives, real hopes, real work for God.  These words represent a living relationship, joined together in God.  They are our brothers and sisters, even though we are separated by hundreds and hundreds of years.

To close, I want just one more time to summarize Romans and trace the line of thought through it.  Mostly I want to provide this as a resource for all of you in the future to help you in future studies of this book.  Fortunately, the Desiring God blog has been doing a series, “Tweeting through _________” (NT books).  Below is “The Book of Romans in 45 Tweets”:

Romans 1

The resurrected Lord Jesus has commissioned the advance of his gospel for the sake of his name among all nations (#Romans 1:1-7).

Serving God in the gospel of his Son and obligated to all peoples, preaching the gospel is marked by eagerness (#Romans 1:8-15).

The gospel is God's power that results in salvation for everyone who believes. Everyone who believes (#Romans 1:16-17).

God's wrath is made known against man's unrighteousness — all who rebel against God to worship creaturely stuff (#Romans 1:18-32).

Romans 2

You presuming upon God's kindness and refusing to repent is you storing up wrath for yourself on the day of judgment (#Romans 2:1-11).

A true Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is really a matter of the heart, by the Spirit (#Romans 2:12-29).

Romans 3

Jewish people are advantaged, entrusted with God's oracles. Their faithlessness doesn't nullify the faithfulness of God (#Romans 3:1-8).

We're all the same, Jew and non-Jew. We're sinners. None is righteous, nobody. And we can't save ourselves (#Romans 3:9-20).

All who believe are justified by God's gift through Jesus, who bore the wrath we deserved. Our boasting is excluded (#Romans 3:21-31).

Romans 4

Abraham is faith's "Exhibit A". He trusted the one who justifies the ungodly and it was counted as righteousness (#Romans 4:1-12).

It all rests on God's grace, not works. The righteousness counted to Abraham is counted to us who believe in Jesus (#Romans 4:13-25).

Romans 5

Since we're justified by faith like Abraham was, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (#Romans 5:1-5).

God shows his love for us in that Jesus died for us, us sinners. Now enemies no more. Wrath no more. We are saved! (#Romans 5:6-11).

Jesus is the Last Adam, giving us the headship through which grace reigns. Eternal life, not death (#Romans 5:12-21).

Romans 6

We're done with sin. Now we're in Jesus, united to him in his death and resurrection, dead to sin and alive to God (#Romans 6:1-14).

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (#Romans 6:15-23).

Romans 7

In Jesus we've died to the law and now belong to Jesus, so that we bear fruit for God (#Romans 7:1-6).

Nothing good dwells in the flesh! It's a mess. But thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (#Romans 7:7-25).

Romans 8

There's no condemnation in Jesus. In him we're free from sin and death, and we're filled with the Spirit of life (#Romans 8:1-11).

And his Spirit testifies of our adoption. We are children of God. We call the Creator of the universe "Abba" (#Romans 8:12-17)

One day the whole world will know we're God's children. Everything is working towards this everlasting good (#Romans 8:18-30).

Really, who could be against us? Since God gave up his Son for us, he will certainly give us all things in him (#Romans 8:31-34).

Nothing can separate us from God's love in Jesus. Not tribulation or distress or whatever you can imagine. Nothing (#Romans 8:35-39).

Romans 9

Not all of ethnic Israel are children of promise. It's not about our works or privileges. It's about God's call (#Romans 9:1-13).

God has mercy on whom he wills. Who are we to answer back? He's God. And we're humbled by the riches of his glory (#Romans 9:14-33).

Romans 10

Righteousness comes from God, not ourselves. Jesus is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (#Romans 10:1-4).

There's no distinction here among peoples. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (#Romans 10:5-13).

People believe Jesus when they hear of him. They hear when he's preached. He's preached when we're sent (#Romans 10:14-21).

Romans 11

God hasn't rejected his people. There is a remnant that remains, chosen by grace (#Romans 11:1-10).

Stand in awe that the nations are grafted in, through Jesus, as the people of God. Note his kindness and severity (#Romans 11:11-24).

A partial hardening has come over Israel until the full number of the nations believe the gospel (#Romans 11:25-32).

Oh, the depths! From God and through God and to God are all things! To him be glory forever! Amen (#Romans 11:33-36).

Romans 12

Therefore, be a living sacrifice to God, not conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewal of your mind (#Romans 12:1-2).

Think of yourself in sober judgment. Not too highly. Our gifts differ according to the grace God has given (#Romans 12:3-8).

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil. Hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection... (#Romans 12:9-21)

Romans 13

No governing authority exists unless God has instituted it. Resist them and you resist what God has appointed (#Romans 13:1-7).

Love one another. All the horizontal commands of the law are summed up: love your neighbor as yourself (#Romans 13:8-14).

Romans 14

Don't pass judgment on another's conscience. We serve the Lord. Whether we live or die, we are the his (#Romans 14:1-12).

The kingdom of God isn't a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (#Romans 14:13-23).

Romans 15

The OT is for our instruction, so that through its encouragement and endurance we might have hope (#Romans 15:1-7).

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the Spirit's power you abound in hope (#Romans 15:8-13).

It's a holy ambition to serve the nations — that is, to preach Christ where he has not been named (#Romans 15:14-21).

Paul is headed to Spain and hopes to visit the Romans in the fullness of the blessing of Christ (#Romans 15:22-33).

Romans 16

Greetings. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (#Romans 16:1-23).

To the only wise God, the one who strengthens you according to Jesus expounded from the OT, to him be glory forever (#Romans 16:25-27). [1]

Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.

The Content of Romans
More thoughts from Moo on our passage for today:

    "To be sure, Paul has written “quite boldly on some points” (i.e., in some parts of the letter). But he did so not to impart new knowledge but to “remind” the Roman Christians of truth they already knew. If Paul has not let his diplomacy here descend into insincere flattery—for surely the believers in Rome did not know everything Paul teaches in this letter!--he must mean by this that he has simply explicated gospel truth that they already know." [1]

Romans is an interesting book for many reasons, but a big one is what Moo writes in the first paragraph:  it is in essence just an explanation of the faith and Gospel that we as Christians hold to.  But it isn't just a 2 minute presentation of it or a simple salvation message:  it is an in-depth explanation of man's need for salvation and how it relates to all people of the world - both Jew and Gentile.

This is why through the ages many have clung to to book of Romans and studied it deeply.  As we finish up this book tomorrow, my encouragement for all of you (even as we move on in the NT) is to spend time studying and understanding Romans.  You won't be disappointed.  We've done only the briefest of surveys, covering the whole book in just a few weeks.  It's my hope that we can spend more time here in the future because there is SO MUCH here to understand and process.  Happy studying!

Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.

Freedom and Love
Some more thoughts from Moo on chapter 14:

    "Christians who are not convinced in their own minds that something is right for them to do should not do it. Paul urges weak believers who still harbor doubts about eating meat not to eat, for they will be acting against their faith and thus sinning (v. 23). We may be placed in a situation in which most other Christians are doing something we have always considered wrong. We may be led by their example and arguments to rethink our own position on the matter. But until we are convinced, Paul suggests, we should refrain from acting.
Some of us bring baggage into our Christian experience from our background that we will never get away from. I know mature believers who refuse, for instance, to drink alcohol, dance, or play card games—not because they are sure such activities are wrong (they are often sure they are not wrong) but because they simply do not feel “comfortable” doing it themselves.

    When confronted with believers that have such scruples, those of us who do not have them need to modify the expression of our freedom by the demands of love. Liberty is wonderful, but love is even greater." [1] (emphasis mine)

Click here to read today’s passage on Bible Gateway.

Today’s passage about those “weak” and “strong” in faith is a very good and important question, but also a one that can easily be misinterpreted by not understanding the issues here correctly.  Moo does a great job of explaining things, so I’ll be quoting from him a lot today.  First of all, on understanding work meanings, which is VITAL in this passage:

“If we are to understand the point of this section as a whole, we must recognize that the phrase “whose faith is weak” (lit., “one who is weak with respect to faith”) has a special nuance in this context. “Faith” refers not directly to one’s belief generally but to one’s convictions about what that faith allows him or her to do. The weak in faith are not necessarily lesser Christians than the strong. They are simply those who do not think their faith allows them to do certain things that the strong feel free to do. What Paul wants the strong to do is not simply extend grudging tolerance to the weak, but to welcome them (which means to receive or accept into one’s society, home, circle of acquaintance). They should not allow differences over “disputable matters” to interfere with full fellowship in the body of Christ.”[1]

Additionally, a VERY important thing to understand about the “weak”:

“Paul’s exhortation to strong believers to accept the weak makes clear that the weak are not holding a view Paul thinks is antithetical to the gospel. As we know from his other letters (e.g., Galatians), Paul can be harsh toward Christians who hold views contrary to the gospel of God. If the weak thought their obedience to the law was necessary for their salvation, Paul would do more than simply urge the strong to accept them into Christian fellowship.” [2]  (emphasis mine)

It’s very important to realize this point:  Paul doesn’t pull any punches if someone (or a group of people) is forsaking the Gospel or trying to earn salvation through works.  Based on what Paul says, it seems like what is going on here is more than just Jews that don’t want to stop following the Law.  Paul urges in people like that (in 1 Corinthians) that they should just eat meat sacrificed to idols because it is just meat – there is nothing wrong with it.  So what makes this situation different?  It seems like in Rome, surrounded by pagan worship, there were people that were abstaining from these things not because they necessarily wanted to keep the Law or earn salvation, but because they wanted to remain pure in a fiercely pagan society:

“The classic biblical example of such care to avoid pagan contamination is Daniel, who “resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine” (Dan. 1:8; see also 10:3). It would not be surprising if many, perhaps most, Jews in Rome, surrounded by pagans, had decided to adopt similar practices in order to maintain their purity before the Lord.” [3]

The main problem?  Not what people were choosing to do or not do, but their attitudes toward those who decide to do something different:

“Both are engaged in an activity that is God’s alone: “We will all stand before God’s judgment seat.” … he is teaching that every believer is ultimately answerable to God, not to other believers, for their conduct in this life.” [4]

This is the point of the passage:  you are not fit to judge others on matters on which the Bible is neutral.  It is NECESSARY that this statement include the caveat on the end.  Most of the misinterpretation that occurs in this passage consists of taking the issues here and extending them out to EVERYTHING, meaning that if someone confronts you for something that is clearly wrong, you just pull the “who are you to judge” card.  We NEED to make distinctions here.  Moo again:

“In other words, if Christians from a Jewish background want to keep the Sabbath and abstain from meat and wine, that is fine. But if other Christians neglect the Sabbath and eat meat and drink wine, that is fine too. Both positions are “acceptable” Christian positions, and believers who hold each position should not condemn the others.

Nevertheless—and this is a vital point—we cannot extend the tolerance Paul demands here to all issues. As we have noted, he takes a different approach toward people who are violating a clear teaching of the gospel. Such people are not to be tolerated but corrected, and, if they do not repent, are to be cut off from the life of the church (see 1 Cor. 5). We must, then, be careful to apply the tolerance of Romans 14:1–15:13 to issues similar to the one Paul treats here.” [5] (emphasis mine)

It definitely takes thinking and consideration:  we should never jump to judge others.  We must always examine ourselves and our hearts first.  But we must also never forsake our duty to correct those that are straying in order that they might be restored to fellowship.

Questions?  Comments?

[1] Douglas J. Moo, Romans, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 448.
[2] Ibid, 452.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid, 450.
[5] Ibid, 453.

Click here to read today’s passage on Bible Gateway.

Submission to Government
Chapter 13 is one of the major passages in the Bible having to do with the relationship between a Christian and the government they live under.  We’ve already dealt with this topic a few times before, dealing with issues like taxes and citizenship.  In this chapter Paul says some interesting things and even comes back to the issue of taxes (summary: pay them).

When was in college, my final Senior Seminar paper was on the subject of the Bible and civil disobedience, focusing particularly on the underground Church in China.  As I said, we’ve talked about some of these issues before.  I want to quickly offer up a few key ideas that we need to understand about a Christian’s relation to government:

1.       Governments are appointed by God.  Verse 1 starts us out with this principle.  Does this mean the government will always follow the laws of God?  Absolutely not.  Remember that Paul is writing this letter to those living under the Roman government that have just been fiercely persecuted under that government, yet Paul tells them that the government is instituted by God!  What this DOES mean is that God is the author of history and the God appoints governments for a purpose and despite their rule, whether it be good or bad, God uses governments for His ultimate purposes.

2.       Obey the government at all times unless what the government asks goes against the commands of God.  This is not a choice for the Christian:  you do just get to pick and choose which laws you like and follow only those.  If you are going to go against the commands of the government, you’d better be REALLY sure that you’re doing so for the sake of God.

3.       If you DO feel that you need to follow God rather than man, understand that it is the government’s job to punish you. This passage is clear that governments exist for the purpose of keeping order and are divinely ordained to punish those that break their laws.  Even if the laws are unjust from a Christian standpoint, such as forbidding evangelism or children’s Sunday school, understand that the government’s role is to punish those that break the law.  This is a very important point:  many people expect to follow God’s commandments and to be delivered from any consequences.  This is not the case:  remember – nearly all of the apostles died violent deaths at the hands of those that did not follow God.  We have a responsibility as Christians to both follow God AND accept the consequences for doing so.

Obviously there is a lot to figure out in this topic, but for the most part we as Americans haven’t thought through ANY of it.  It’s the American way to complain about the government.  I suggest that it is the CHRISTIAN way to be concerned for our government and to pray for our leaders.  Above all, we need to realize that any earthly government will fail us.  We can rejoice that we live under a relatively just government that values liberty and freedom and pray for our brothers and sisters that live in places ruled by harsh dictators.  Above all, we need to remember that God institutes governments and uses them for his purposes.

Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.

Transformed
Today's reading is a bit awkward in its division as it covers a somewhat difficult end to chapter 11, then moves into a major shift in chapter 12.  As in most of his letters, Paul spends the first part of Romans on what could be called more theological matters, then spends the final section on more practical matters.  In Romans, the first 11 chapters are heavy on theology and chapter 12 moves us into what will be a series of practical issues.

As I said, the end of 11 can be difficult to understand, so if you have any questions, please let me know.  I want to deal with the beginning of 12 here:

"I appeal to you therefore, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

I want to just take a minute with this and not deal with any questions or problems or issues.  Let's just take an aside because I want to speak directly to you readers of the NT in a Year blog and any person in our youth group or church:  this is my appeal to you.  These verses above are why I do what I do.  Amidst the frustrations and accusations and successes and whatever else there is in ministry, this is why I do it.  I want you to GET IT.  We have been given a gift:  life.  And what is life for?  If you really believe the Bible, it's about bringing glory to God and enjoying Him and the abundant, overflowing life He gives.  In return, He asks both nothing and everything.  Nothing because no work or money can buy grace; everything because it will cost your very self.  These are important words and I've said and written them before, PLEASE - I really want you to truly get them.  Life is not about you, its about laying yourself on the altar, not for slaughter like in Leviticus, but as a LIVING sacrifice, continually offered up to honor God.

How?  Don't be conformed to the world.  Don't fit into the mold the world wants to put you in, where people work till they die to make money and have houses and clothes and whatever it is that people want that they'll never be able to take with them when they die.  Don't be conformed.  Be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind.  As I've said before, if we are Christians, we are citizens of an upside-down kingdom.  Our natural bent is to be conformed to the world, but we need to go to God's word and experienced Christians to seek out Kingdom perspective:  to be transformed by God and to understand who we truly are and will be.

The biggest problem?  Most of us, at least as American Christians, don't want to make a choice.  We want both God and the world.  John is clear:  you can't serve two masters that ask opposing things.  You can't keep one foot on the boat and one on the dock when the boat is leaving.  You need to make a decision. 

So that's what I want from all of you:  make a decision.  Choose this day whom you will serve and stop pretending like you can have both.  God offers us eternal joy - I ask that you receive it and stop messing around in the dirt.  Please.  Please. Please.

"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
-C.S. Lewis