Tag: sin

Are you Listening?

Old Testament: 2 Kings 11 & 12

Poetry: Proverbs 28

New Testament: Luke 10:25-37

As Marcia mentioned in yesterday’s devotion, many of us were at Midwest Family Camp last week, where the theme was “Stand Firm”.  In a nutshell, if we don’t have a relationship with the Lord, it is critical that we repent and come into a relationship with Him. If we already have a relationship with the Lord, we need to strengthen that relationship, and stand firm in the faith – no matter what.

In today’s reading in Proverbs 28, there are a few verses that jumped out at me which reinforced that message.  The first is found in Proverbs 28: 9, “If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.”  This proverb tells us that if we’re not doing everything to live the life God called us to live, if we’re not following His rules, then He won’t listen to our prayers.  Since many of our prayers are about asking for God’s help with various things, if we selfishly want Him to answer our prayers, then we need to obey His rules, and live for Him.  As we grow in relationship with Him, we come to long for an even deeper relationship with the Lord. Then we learn that prayer is powerful, and we don’t waste it just asking for superfluous things.

Proverbs 28:13 goes on to say, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”  This is saying if we pretend to be Christians, we won’t prosper (you can’t fool God).  But if we confess and renounce our sins, and turn completely to God, we will receive God’s mercy.  I don’t know about you, but I would much rather have His mercy than to have Him holding me back from prospering.

As we continue to read through this chapter, we get to verse 20, which says, “A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.”  I’ll take a detour here and comment on the health and wealth teachings we often hear from people who don’t know better.  The theory goes sort of like this… “if someone follows God, God will bless every aspect of their life.  They will be rich, healthy, and blessed.”  Many people who call themselves Christians subscribe to this false belief.  Jesus told us in John 16:33, “…In this world, you will have trouble.  But take heart, I have overcome the world.”  We have to remember this life isn’t our reward.  This life is the test to see what reward we will receive when Jesus returns.  If we are faithful to the Lord now, we will enjoy peace with God now, and eternal life when Jesus returns.  If we are just trying to get rich, we are actually worshiping money, not God — our reward is in this life, and we will forfeit eternal life.  

1 Tim 6:9-11 says, “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.  Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and have pierced themselves with many griefs.  But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.”

Instead of trying to get rich, we need to follow the advice given in Proverbs 28:27, “He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.”  Again, I think the idea is that if I’m greedy, wanting to keep all my money for myself, I’m not trying to please God, I’m just greedy for money, and God will curse me for not following Him.  But if I’m generous with the things God has given me by giving them to the poor — this mimics God’s generosity to me.  When I am imitating God, God loves that.  In fact we’re commanded in Ephesians 5:1, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.”

So the bottom line is this.  We need to do everything we can to reconcile ourselves to God.  We need to confess and renounce our sins, obey His laws, be faithful, and be generous.  All these things are required to live in close relationship with God.  And if we live in a close relationship with God, we will have peace with God in this life, and an amazing reward in the life to come.  In Rev 21:4, we’re told, “He [God] will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…”   Rev 21:7 goes on to say, “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

How well are you imitating Dad?

Stand Firm.

–Steve Mattison

(Originally posted June 28, 2021 – but we did just return from another week of Family Camp, where the theme was “Pray Continually”. You can watch Steve’s Thursday Night sermon and story on Yield to God’s Will here.)

Reflection Questions

  1. What are the prayer lessons to be remembered from Proverbs 28?
  2. How well are you following God’s instruction?
  3. When was the last time you confessed your sins to Him?
  4. What relationship do you have with money? Is it stronger than it ought to be? How would you rate your generosity? Why do you think God values our generosity?
sglcalendar2024Download

Photoreceptors

Old Testament: 2 Samuel 22

Poetry: Proverbs 7

New Testament: Ephesians 5

A few weeks back my children were very excited to have me read a new book they checked-out from the library.  Not yet mastering the alphabet, their choices are often from the featured book table, typically the flashiest cover; however, the book they chose did not meet my expectation. Their choice: The Worm.  The title wasn’t a metaphor. Not a how-to on dance moves. Not a fictional story of a kid-turned-wrestler.  It was literally a picture book just about worms, and so we began to learn everything I never wanted to know about these three phylums of the animal kingdom.  Did you know that worms can be over 100 feet long? And there are people around the world who eat worms? Or that worms are hermaphrodites? Probably the most relevant fact to today’s devotion is that most worms, including the earthworm, don’t have eyes. This doesn’t stop them from knowing when they are exposed to light. Built into the skin of earthworms are photoreceptors which work as light detectors. These creatures of darkness cannot exist in the light. Being caught above the surface trying to do your same wormy thing equals starvation, dehydration, or becoming prey.

Looking at today’s Proverb, we can see that the speaker is specifically warning his son about infidelity and adultery.  If we use a broader brush with this wisdom, and extend the metaphors and figures of these proverbs as is often done, we can bring our own struggle with sin into the picture.  “Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.  Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death. (Prov. 7:25-27).” Don’t stray into the path of lust, pride, greed,or being obscene (Eph 5:1-3).  A knock on the door soon becomes a visit. A visit becomes a stay.  When you stay long enough, it is where you live (James 1:14-15). Like a worm, deeper and deeper you dig yourself into the ground, making your bed and lying in the grave.

You may not have heeded the warning up to this point, so here is the wake-up call to all of us worms trying to hide from the light, whether it be for a day or decades,“But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.  This is why it is said, “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you (Eph 5:13-14).’” When we are exposed by the light of God, we shrivel up and die.  This can be tremendous or tragic. Waking up today means we die unto ourselves and become a new creation in Christ.  We are covered, cleansed, and made pure through God’s grace given to us through the blood of the Lamb.  If our dry bones do not rattle and we die in our darkness, there is no rebirth. Only an eternal separation, a scorching from the Light, because, “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them (Eph 5:5-7).” 

You may have fallen victim to a snare, directly disobeying the commands of God. Don’t sleep on this. Restore your relationship with the One True God, and in the midst of the distress, ask for help and He will answer, not letting you become a victim to the grave (2 Sam 22:5-7). God has given us a path to repentance and an amazing grace. It is time to put your photoreceptors to work, find the surface, and enter again into His marvelous light.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What sins have seduced you? What was enticing about this sin? Have you gone in for a visit, or a stay, or is that where you live now?
  2. What do you know about God’s wrath? What do you know about God’s grace? How does God decide which worm gets the grace and which worm gets the wrath? Which worm are you right now?
  3. How active have your photoreceptors been? Do you recognize the difference between light and dark? Unlike the worm, do you seek the light? How?
sglcalendar2024Download

In the Spirit – OR – in the Flesh

Old Testament: 2 Samuel 12

Poetry: Proverbs 1

New Testament: Galatians 5:24-26

In 2 Samuel 12 we read all about how King David is rebuked for his sinful ways and the real consequences he would suffer as a result of his sin. 

9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 

Proverbs 1:31 from today’s reading gives us a sobering reminder of what happens when we choose to be ruled by the flesh rather than by the Spirit.


“So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way

And be satiated with their own devices. (NASB 1995)

If we want to avoid disastrous consequences brought on by sin, Galatians 5 gives us some sound advice:

24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 

Proverbs 1:7 further instructs us on how to live wisely:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;

Fools despise wisdom and instruction. (NASB 1995)

The Bible is full of examples from which we can learn. Sometimes I read the story of David and think how on earth could he do those things, but then I quickly remember that saying, “As soon as you point a finger at someone, you have four fingers pointing right back at you.” God’s word is a mirror for our hearts. If we are left to our own devices and follow the ways of our flesh, disastrous consequences inevitably ensue. We must make a conscious choice to live and walk by the Spirit. The good news is that we are not irredeemable if we have been led astray by our flesh at one point. The story wasn’t over for David and it doesn’t have to be over for us. We can make that choice to reconcile with God and we can be assured by the parables of the prodigal son and the lost sheep that He will welcome us with open arms. Your story is not over while you still have breath. If you’ve walked away from God, please know His heart yearns for you to return to Him and He will welcome you back with loving arms. The choice is up to you.

Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Did you notice that nothing can cause God not to love us? God forgave King David and He can certainly forgive you.

-Kristy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. What consequences for sin have you experienced or are you still experiencing? What would you recommend to someone (including yourself) contemplating the sin which brought the consequences?
  2. What role did Nathan play in 2 Samuel 12? Who sent him to David and why? As uncomfortable as it may seem, is there someone God wants to send you to?
  3. Living by the flesh or living by the Spirit – what are the pros and cons of each? Which will win in your life?
  4. What does reconciliation with God look like in your life? What blessings did David receive after his sin and reconciliation? What blessings have you received after sin and reconciliation? How would you describe God’s love?
sglcalendar2024Download

The Domino Effect

Old Testament: 2 Samuel 11

Poetry: Psalm 72

New Testament: Galatians 5:23

In today’s passage in Galatians, 5:23, we read of the rest of the fruits of the spirit: gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (NASB 1995) The spirit of self-control is a quality that would have served David well in today’s passage in 2 Samuel 11. What can we learn from the story of David? Sin can have a domino effect. One sin can easily lead to another. David’s first sin was probably just looking at Bathsheba longingly while she was bathing. Jesus tells us that for a married person to even look upon someone else with lust is equivalent to adultery. Ideally, David should have looked away immediately once he realized she was not clothed. We can probably safely assume his self-control did not kick in at that moment to prompt him to quickly avert his gaze, which then led to feelings of lust multiplying in him. Then, as the story goes on, we see David actively pursuing her, impregnating her and then frantically trying to figure out how to clean up his mess. David’s struggle with temptation is obviously  not unique. We only have to look around to see we have many temptations competing for our attention. Pornography is more accessible than it has ever been and has been named as a major public health crisis due to the impact on individuals and their marriages and families. 

Abiding in the living vine is our best defense against the onslaught of temptation that we face on a daily basis. Self-control is not easy to come by naturally because temptations are considered to be temptations because they are powerful and tap into our carnal desires and stimulate our senses. Whether it’s overindulging in alcohol or food, taking drugs that aren’t prescribed to us or abusing prescription drugs, sexual sin, etc., temptation comes in many forms. Thankfully we don’t have to rely on our own strength to resist them. Abiding in Christ helps us to cultivate that fruit of the spirit that includes self-control. Of course, like any plant, a vine must be tended to. We cannot ignore it and expect it to thrive. It is a choice that must be made daily, sometimes hourly, at times even minute by minute, to abide in Christ.

-Kristy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. Besides in this chapter, where else have you seen sin’s domino effect in action?
  2. What temptation grabs your attention and pulls you away from where you should be? Where does it lead to next?
  3. What does it look like when your temptation wins over your lack of self-control? What does it look like when your self-control wins over temptation? How do you feel in each instance? How are others affected in each case? What do you imagine God is thinking or feeling in each scenario?
  4. What specific actions can you take this week to abide in Christ more and more? What will it cost you? What will the benefits be?
sglcalendar2024Download

“Marley was dead: to begin with.”

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 26-28

Poetry: Psalm 69

New Testament: Galatians 4

“Marley was dead: to begin with.”

Sometime in the Advent season, my family gathers round and we read out these words. There is a familiarity to this “scary ghost story”; who hasn’t seen, or watched, or read, or heard some version of *A Christmas Carol*. There are dozens, scores, of different versions: stages plays, to ballets, to movies, to the MUPPETS. Seriously, if you haven’t seen a Muppet’s Christmas Carol, what are you doing in the Holiday season?

As I was saying, my family reads these words every year, and I particularly love Dickens’s dry humor and wit, which is somewhat lessened by the theatrical productions of his creation. 

But he also makes very clear why he begins his illustrious novel with a death of a character we know nothing about : “The mention of Marley’s Funeral brings me back to the point I started from. There is no doubt that Marley was dead. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate.”

It is in the exact same vein that the author of 1 Samuel 28 reminds us, “Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah.” We already knew that from 25:1, but the author wants to be really sure. Absolutely positive that we get it. 

Saul is going to attack the Philistines but the Lord doesn’t answer him. And so Saul, in stupidity and desperation, decides to go to Endor, looking for a witch. The witch, in fear and trepidation, speaks as and for Samuel whom she “brought up”. Up from the dead, speaking to Saul. “Samuel was dead to begin with.” This was a big deal. This was massive. We are expecting something wonderful, or maybe in this case, something awful to come of the story which the author is going to relate.

There are some great questions that come to mind when we read this story (see below), but I want us to pick up on what Samuel says to Saul : “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy?” 

When Saul drags him up, Samuel says “What do you want me to do about it?” Like I said, I expected wonderful or awful; I did not expect grumpy and sassy. 

Sometimes, when we find ourselves in sin, and our lives start going poorly, we think, in stupidity and desperation, “more sin will fix this.” Of course, we never say those exact words. Saul didn’t either, but he also didn’t listen to the commands of the Lord. A little compromise here, a little not following the will of God there. “I didn’t kill the sheep so they could be sacrificed!” God stops listening to his prayers, and so he turns his inward sin of rebellion into the outward sin of divination. He does fulfill the prophecy of Samuel in 1 Samuel 15:23. 

We tend to do the same. We tell a lie, and to cover up that lie we have to tell more. (Like Junior Asparagus covering up breaking the Art Bigotti Plate.) Instead of dealing with our lust and desires of the flesh head on, we heap false prophecy onto it and say “God told me we should be together.” We lump pride onto sloth: “Sure I was mentally checked out when I was physically clocked in on the job, but I just need some self care. I deserve it! Treat yo self!” 

You might think the words used (pride, sloth, lust) in those examples (“stuff that everybody does”) is a bit extreme. Maybe, but sin is usually insidious. Saul didn’t start off thinking he was going to be cavorting with witches in the middle of the night. David didn’t think that avoiding his duty of going to war would end up with him murdering his companion. 

Maybe, through you reading the story, you can begin to see that nothing good comes from heaping one sin on top of another. If you find yourself walking down the road of sin, I know how hard it is to change; still, confess your sins, seek the help of pastors and friends who want the best for you, change your ways. Only in turning from sin to the God who wants the best for us will we be able to seek his forgiveness, and not find him as an enemy, but relate to him as a Father who loves his children. Christ will empower us, advocate for us, give us his spirit and put us in a place where God can change us and bless us. 

“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!”

-Jake Ballard

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you need to confess and stop sinning?: Start off by focusing on the thrust of the devotion; are there any sins in your life that need confession? Where you need help to get out of addictive patterns or habits that are hard to break? Stop the sin as soon as possible so the healing can begin. Only then should we think about the rest of these questions.
  2. Did the magic work?: I have heard some people say the witch was scared *because the magic worked.* As in, she wasn’t expecting a real appearing. But the text indicates that she was scared because she recognized Saul while doing her magic. Saul had killed all the diviners. Why was she scared? The ancient people believed magic worked : The witch in Endor, like the slave girl of Acts 16, make us ask do *we* believe that magic works? Should we be more afraid of participating in the occult and magic than merely saying “that’s make believe”? 
  3. Are ghosts real?: Samuel seems to be a ghost. Are ghosts real? What is the Biblical picture of the afterlife? Jesus compared it to sleep, Ecclesiastes talks about the dead knowing nothing and not praising God, but the disciples thought Jesus was a ghost. Does the Bible teach that people can become ghosts? If it doesn’t (and I think it doesn’t), then why did the disciples think people could become ghosts?
  4. Coming *up*?: Where was Samuel coming from? It says Samuel was coming up? If the dead keep on living, we should expect him coming down out of heaven; Samuel seems grumpy, like a man awoken untimely from his sleep. What did the Israelites believe about Sheol?
sglcalendar2024Download

Unleavened

Old Testament: Joshua 11 & 12

Poetry: Psalm 50

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 5

As is frequent with God’s word, we see connections, themes, and promises fulfilled which transcend centuries, and today’s readings are an example of this. From our Old Testament reading of Joshua we see a thorough purging and annihilation of pagan people who were not followers of God in the land God wanted inhabited by his chosen people. Terms like “captured”, “struck every person”, “no survivor”, and “utterly destroyed” used more than once paint a pretty clear picture of what Joshua and the Israelites were busy doing. But, why? That is also repeated throughout, and while it could be summed up as “God said so”, it seems more beautifully stated in Joshua 11:15,

“Just as the Lord had commanded His servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.” New American Standard Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 2020), Jos 11:15.

Over a thousand years later, our New Testament reading in 1 Corinthians written to the church in Corinth also references instructions on purging out the evil. And just like the pagan people and cultures surrounding and within the promised land in the time of Joshua, Corinth was certainly a place full of evil. A city known for immorality (not immortality as I just accidentally typed!), for all varieties of sexual sins and deviance, statues and idols of lovely false gods like Aphrodite and none other than a thousand prostitutes kept busy at the temple. One could imagine as new converts came out of this culture to Christianity, and for the existing church functioning within that society, there were some things that needed cleaned up. And then there were some things that just straight up needed called out, purged, and done away with. Finding ourselves progressed another couple thousand years from there, I think we can relate.

Tomorrow, the Jewish people and those celebrating Passover will be starting their remembrances and celebrations. I really like that the Jewish holidays have Biblical and spiritual meanings, and Passover is directly mentioned in our New Testament reading today. One instruction the Hebrews were given for the Passover was to remove the yeast/leaven from their homes on the first day. Today, there are all sorts of traditions on how to do this for Passover including varieties of special cutlery and cleaning to remove every speck of potential leaven from  cookware to corners of homes and cabinets. Even the kids are apparently often helpful at finding those hard to reach remnants. As Christians according to 1 Corinthians 5, we know Jesus is our Passover lamb, which brought about a huge culture change, and one I am incredibly thankful for because I absolutely do not want to be doing anything with the blood of lambs or goats! But, while Jesus’s sacrificial life and death is a tremendous gift and blessing that reconciles us with God, scripture also tells us we can’t just be thankful for Jesus and leave whatever filth we have in our lives, homes, and churches.  Leaven is often correlated to sin in scripture, and today’s reading is very clear. Leaven is not good in this case. It will creep into every corner of the loaf. It contaminates. If we tolerate evil, we will contaminate ourselves and the body of Christ if we are a member of it. If we ignore it and don’t even look for the small hidden pieces of leaven in our lives, the leaven is very efficient at growing, attracting bugs, and all the rest.

We are forgiven and cleansed through our Messiah who took the place of the Old Testament sacrifices. We also know we are human beings living in another Corinth, and it is easy to be deceived when society is screaming “that’s not leaven, that’s just fine”.  May we all prayerfully consider the internal, spiritual leaven within ourselves along with any other things we might be cleaning up this spring. While smudges on windows, crumbs under the stove, and dead leaves in landscaping simply do not matter in the big picture, the spiritual stuff is a life and death matter. I love these verses in Psalm 19: 12-14 which talk about intently looking for the hidden pieces of leaven in our hearts.

But who can discern their own errors?

Forgive my hidden faults.

Keep your servant also from willful sins;

may they not rule over me.

Then I will be blameless,

innocent of great transgression.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

-Jennifer Hall

Questions:

1. What similarities do you see between the culture in Joshua’s day, the city of Corinth, and today?

2. Have you ever seen someone’s sin in the body of Christ negatively impact others in the church family?

3. What challenges do you and the church face in identifying sin and right/pure actions from a Biblical worldview in today’s society?

sglcalendar2024Download

By No Means!

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 21 & 22

Poetry: Job 38

New Testament: Romans 6

Today, we get to say hi to the same hypothetical objector that Paul seems to address in the first handful of chapters in the book of Romans.  Paul opens up chapter six with the question, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1 ESV).  He asks the same question in verse 15 as well.  In chapter 5, Paul talked about the great work that God and Jesus were able to accomplish through the cross.  The cross is only needed because of sin in the first place.  If there was no sin, then there would be no need for Jesus to die on the cross.  Therefore, in a sense, our sin led to the incredible, world-altering power that was experienced on the cross of Jesus.  Should we continue in that sin then to show the incredible power and grace of God?  Paul’s answer is quite clear both times this question is raised: “By no means!” (Romans 6:2,15). 

Paul goes on to talk about the baptized believer being united with Christ Jesus in his death and resurrection.  While being united with Jesus in his death, “our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.  For one who has died has been set free from sin… Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,” (Romans 6:6,7,12).

We live in a broken world that is cursed and broken by sin.  It seems everywhere we turn we can see sin.  Since we live in a world that is broken by sin, sin is to be expected in the life of a Christian, right?  Well, that’s what many may expect, but that is not what Paul seems to indicate in chapter six.  Paul states on multiple occasions in chapter six that we are both set free from sin and that we are dead to sin.  This does not sound like someone who just expects a Christian to keep on with their sinful ways.  Paul expects the Christ follower to no longer be enslaved to the great enemy of sin.  Christ Jesus has set us free from that strong entanglement!

For too long, too many Christians have had a lax stance towards sin.  When we expect a Christian to continue in sin, I believe that we are belittling the work that was accomplished on that cross.  Before chapter 6, Paul has showed us that Christ’s death enabled us to experience forgiveness, justification, and reconciliation with God.  From my personal experience, these seem to be the central focus of the church when discussing the salvation that is offered to us through the cross.  However, it does not stop there.  Christ didn’t die just so that we could be forgiven of our sins; it’s bigger than that.  Christ didn’t die just so that we could be justified; it’s bigger than that.  Christ didn’t die just so that we could be reconciled to God; it’s bigger than that. 

I appreciate the work of Alva Huffer in his book Systematic Theology.  In his book, he details the “Seven Doctrines of Salvation”.  Huffer advocates for the fact that through Christ’s death, we have been saved seven-fold from the consequences of our sin.  On top of forgiveness, justification, and reconciliation, we also experience sanctification, adoption, redemption, and newness of life.  It is the newness of life that Paul describes here in chapter six.  Because Christ died, we can experience new life as Christians – a life that is free from sin and dead to sin.  As followers of Christ, let’s cherish this new life that we have access to.  Let’s show the world what it looks like to live a new life that is free and dead to sin!  That’s exactly what this world needs.

-Kyle McClain

Reflection Questions

  1. What does God’s grace mean to you?
  2. What is your stance on sin? And on sinners?
  3. Have you accepted the salvation God has made available through the death of His Son? If so, thank God for each of the seven doctrines of salvation! If not, what questions do you have?
sglcalendar2024Download

Everything Changed

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 19 & 20

Poetry: Job 37

New Testament: Romans 5

I remember it like it was yesterday – okay maybe more like a couple days ago.  While attending the Atlanta Bible College, I had the privilege of studying God’s word and living with “the guys”.  We got along great, and to this day they are some of my closest friends.  While we got along great, we would often be confronted with our strong, opposing opinions on various topics – most of which would have little to no bearing on our quality of life.  One such topic was what we would do if we were in a situation where our child and wife’s lives were in danger and we could only save one of them.  Mind you, this was coming from a handful of guys who at the time had no wife or any children.  Regardless, we had pretty strong thoughts and feelings on what we would do in such a situation.  We spoke as men with a lot of conviction in what we were saying.

I’m guessing you have had similar discussions or thoughts.  What would you do if a loved one of yours was on the cusp of death?  Would you give up your own life for the life of someone else?  Maybe you too speak on similar topics with such conviction.  We may talk a big game, but when it comes down to it, it would be so hard to pinpoint how exactly we would respond in a life-or-death scenario. 

Not many people would die for a good person.  On top of that, fewer people would die for their enemies – that is almost unheard of.  I can only think of one example of someone willingly dying for their enemies.  Paul sheds light on this one example in Romans 5:6-11.  That one example is Christ dying for the ungodly, the sinners, and the enemies of God.  Paul is talking about you and I!  Christ died for us while we were enemies.  In addition to Christ dying for the ungodly, the sinners, and the enemies of God, contemplate the fact that God sent his son to die for the ungodly, the sinners, and his enemies. 

If it came down to it, I’m not sure the number of people I would be willing to die for.  That’s a hard scenario to consider.  What I can guarantee you is the number of people I would send my child to die for is incredibly smaller.  We could go on and on about the love that God has for us by sending his own son to die for the ungodly, the sinners, and the enemies of God – you and I!

Now, we have to be careful pointing out that while Paul is essentially talking about you and I when discussing who Christ died for, Paul identifies us by our former identities.  We WERE ungodly.  We WERE sinners.  We WERE enemies of God.  Paul seems to imply that all of this changes through Christ Jesus.  No longer are we identified as ungodly sinners who are enemies of God.  Instead, we are identified by our right standing with God through the works of Christ Jesus.  We WERE sinners, but Paul states, “we HAVE BEEN justified,” (Romans 5:1).

Paul continues along these same lines near the end of chapter five, as he compares and contrasts the likes of Adam and Jesus.  When talking about these two, Paul states, “For as by the one man’s (Adam) disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s (Jesus) obedience the many will be made righteous,” (Romans 5:19).  You and I are now justified and redeemed all because there is a God who sent his son to die for us while we were ungodly, sinners, and his enemies.  Through this one act of love, everything changed for us.

-Kyle McClain

Reflection Questions

  1. What does Paul teach us about God and Jesus and the relationship between these two?
  2. How have you been an enemy of God? Are you still an enemy of God? Have you accepted the gift of God’s salvation that was made possible by the death of His son?
  3. How would you try to describe God’s love to someone who has never read Romans 5? Who does God want you to tell about His love?
sglcalendar2024Download

A Pretty Awesome Formula

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 15 & 16

Poetry: Job 35

New Testament: Romans 3

Remember that time that you held an imaginary debate or argument in your mind with either an imaginary figure or your spouse, coworker, boss, or friend?  We have all been there before.  Evidently, Paul has been there before as well.  Except this time, Paul records this imaginary debate in Romans 3.  How exciting! 

Romans 3:1-8 gives the impression that Paul is debating an imaginary figure on how the Jews fit into the bigger picture.  Paul’s conclusion to this mini debate is that the Jews are not better off, “For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,” (Romans 1:9 ESV).  There we have it.  All of mankind is under sin.  This conjoins the Jews and the Greeks together.  If you don’t believe Paul, no need to worry.  Paul has plenty of ammunition to help prove this point.  Paul quotes a number of scriptures from the Old Testament in the following verses to bring home this point.

After Paul’s introduction, his letter to the saints at Rome has been rather gloomy thus far.  However, verse 21 is where we start to see a shift.  Paul recognizes that we are all under sin… “BUT NOW…”.  This is where it gets fun!  This passage in Romans 3:21-31 can preach!  Essentially, this is a teaching on the doctrine of salvation, as the righteousness of God is revealed through faith in Christ Jesus for all who believe.

Many are able to quote Romans 3:23: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Paul is only halfway through his sentence when we have a verse break.  Don’t forget about verse 24: “And are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”    Paul compares God’s grace to a gift.  Whenever you are given a gift from someone, you have two choices: you can receive it and open it or you can deny the gift.  I have many memories as a child of receiving gifts from my parents for Christmas, my birthday, or other special occasions.  Not once did I ever reject a gift that my parents gave me; I openly received the gifts every single time.  Nearly every child receives the gifts they are given without a second thought.  We need to mimic the attitude of a child here and gladly receive God’s gift of grace with open arms.  How do we receive God’s grace?  Well, fortunately for us, Paul tells us exactly how to receive that grace in the following verse.  Paul tells us that it is “to be received by faith,” (Romans 3:25).

Paul crams a lot in this short passage to conclude chapter three, as he talks about our salvation.  You can sum up Paul’s discussion in the following formula: sin + grace + faith = justification.  Paul will later reveal to his audience that the justification leads to eternal salvation. For you math nerds out there, that’s a pretty awesome formula.  For those of you not interested in math, trust me, that’s still a pretty awesome formula.

As we go through our lives, let’s remember to keep our arms open wide ready to receive God’s free gift of salvation.

-Kyle McClain

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you ever rejected a gift given to you? Have you rejected or gladly received God’s free gift of salvation? Who do you know who might need some more information or encouragement to receive this gift?
  2. How would you define and describe each of the words in the following formula: Sin + Grace + Faith = Justification. What is the importance of each one?
  3. In the gloomy moments of your life, how can Romans 3 lift your spirits and bring joy, hope and peace?
sglcalendar2024Download

Their Sin, Your Sin

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 13 & 14

Poetry: Job 34

New Testament: Romans 2

Have you noticed how much easier it is to condemn others for their actions than to condemn ourselves, and our own actions? Too often, we become critics of everyone around us – judging the way they live their lives, the words they say, the things they do – critics of everyone except ourselves. For this particular sin, a trap we all probably fall into from time to time, Romans 2 really hits hard. Paul over-emphasizes repeatedly that wrong is always wrong, and sin is always sin, no matter who does it, no matter your intentions or your justification. Yes, our God is a loving God, forgiving and merciful forever and always. But our God is also a just God, and He will judge each and every person accordingly. As Romans 2:3-4 expresses, just because we serve a God who is kind, patient and forgiving does NOT mean that you can get away with any evil deed, continuing to live in unrighteousness relying only on the idea that all will be forgiven. 

“Do you suppose, O man – you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself – that you will escape the judgement of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” Romans 2:3-4

God’s abounding love and kindness is not a means to live however we desire, it’s a call to repentance, because He so wants us to live with Him in eternity, and if we truly want it as well, we would not continue living in sin, but repent and grow and strive to reach the very highest of our potential. We would strive to be just the tiniest bit worthy of His love and mercy. Because in all God’s perfection and all our imperfection, we are utterly incompatible. And yet He still loves us and desires a relationship with us, a relationship that lasts for all eternity. 

As we continue throughout this week, whenever we catch ourselves judging the actions of others, let us remember to instead look within ourselves. I pray that we may see through God’s eyes how we can improve and grow closer to who God made us to be, and ask forgiveness for our own sins, rather than judging the people around us for theirs. Let us obey the truth today for the sake of eternity, and not obey unrighteousness for the sake of today. “For those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury… but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good” (Romans 2:9-10).

-Isabella Osborn

(originally posted May 18, 2022 for SeekGrowLove)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. If God has instilled in us a conscience, allowing us to discern right from wrong, (which according to Romans 2:15, He has) then why do we persistently live in sin?
  2. How should we move forward after acting in an unrighteous, ungodly manner, in order to continue seeking everlasting life with God- living for Him and not for ourselves? 
sglcalendar2024Download