Romans 12:9-16
Observe:
This section is entirely made up of imperative commands. The key word is love since most of the other commands are about how to practically live out that love. There are some contrasting imperatives but they mostly serve to clarify each other.
Interpret:
Paul is explaining how to live in community. He just finished saying that we are all one in Christ even though we have different gifts. We should use those gifts for the good of the Body and, judging from the flow of the passage, the way we do that is in love that is active. He then tells the reader what active love looks like.
In light of the whole book, Paul would say that it was impossible to live this love out in community without faith (we are justified by faith and live by faith). This is consistent with the message of the whole Bible - yes, we bear responsibility to act out what we believe but it is impossible unless Christ is living in us through faith (John 15). If this is true, then Paul is really shaping the growth (or fruit) that one should see in Christian community by providing some parameters or markers for it.
Application:
If I don't see this kind of fruit in my life, it is evidence that I do not have Christ living through me in faith. I know that I try so hard to be perfect: the perfect youth pastor, the perfect husband, the perfect Christian, the perfect driver. Just yesterday, upon running into the back of the car in front of me, I got really frustrated and angry. I want to blame someone or something else (and, honestly, her tail lights were not working properly) so that I can maintain my perfect driving record. There is a car currently sitting in the parking lot with a bashed in hood to remind me that I am not perfect. Hopefully I can learn that lesson in my spiritual life as well: I need the life of Christ living in me to produce fruit. I can do nothing apart from him (I think there's a verse that says something about that...)
Friday, September 21, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
i'm a transformer...
Romans 12:1-8
Observe:
Key words: mercy, living sacrifices, one body, gifts.
Paul contrasts conforming to this world with being transformed and he compares a physical body with the spiritual body of Christ. This is very vivid word picture where the one body with many members compares to the one church with many unique individuals. This passage contains a list of spiritual gifts: prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, mercy.
I also notice that when Paul talks about the gifts, he adds some qualifiers to the last three: give generously, lead diligently, show mercy cheerfully.
Interpret:
Connecting words: Therefore (v. 1) connecting back to 11:29-32 which is a discussion on God's mercy (Paul makes sure we get this connecting by reinforcing it: "in view of God's mercy..."). Then (v.2) indicates that the logical flow is: after your spiritual transformation you will be able to know the will of God.
In my own words:
Because God has had mercy on us we should respond by offering our whole lives to him. This involves not conforming to the world's ideas but being completely transformed by a new way of thinking. One of the new ways we'll have to think is about ourselves: we shouldn't be involved in self-promotion but recognize that the gifts we have been given have been given to us by God and they don't make us any better or worse than anyone else and that we are all part of the same Body, working for the same goal; the glory of God. We shouldn't be concerned about the gifts that we don't have but use our gifts in accordance with the faith God has given us.
Apply:
I know that I am still trapped in a worldly way of thinking and that I need my mind to be renewed daily and more completely. I still am intrigued by all the things I may have missed out on because of my decision to follow Jesus: drinking, sex, parties, etc. I need to focus instead on all the things I have in Christ.
I also still struggle with how to think about myself. I know that God has given me some good gifts and I love to use them but the sinful side of me loves to get noticed using them. I need to remember that my gift of teaching does not make me any better than anyone else. I need to remember that I am to use my gift not for my own glory but for the benefit of the Body and for the glory of God.
This passage tells me that God is very just and the master planner - he knew what each person needs in the time period in which they live to accomplish his plan for this world and so he gave each person the gift necessary to fulfill the purpose for which he created them and to do the job that he has assigned to them. This is an incredible mind!
Observe:
Key words: mercy, living sacrifices, one body, gifts.
Paul contrasts conforming to this world with being transformed and he compares a physical body with the spiritual body of Christ. This is very vivid word picture where the one body with many members compares to the one church with many unique individuals. This passage contains a list of spiritual gifts: prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, mercy.
I also notice that when Paul talks about the gifts, he adds some qualifiers to the last three: give generously, lead diligently, show mercy cheerfully.
Interpret:
Connecting words: Therefore (v. 1) connecting back to 11:29-32 which is a discussion on God's mercy (Paul makes sure we get this connecting by reinforcing it: "in view of God's mercy..."). Then (v.2) indicates that the logical flow is: after your spiritual transformation you will be able to know the will of God.
In my own words:
Because God has had mercy on us we should respond by offering our whole lives to him. This involves not conforming to the world's ideas but being completely transformed by a new way of thinking. One of the new ways we'll have to think is about ourselves: we shouldn't be involved in self-promotion but recognize that the gifts we have been given have been given to us by God and they don't make us any better or worse than anyone else and that we are all part of the same Body, working for the same goal; the glory of God. We shouldn't be concerned about the gifts that we don't have but use our gifts in accordance with the faith God has given us.
Apply:
I know that I am still trapped in a worldly way of thinking and that I need my mind to be renewed daily and more completely. I still am intrigued by all the things I may have missed out on because of my decision to follow Jesus: drinking, sex, parties, etc. I need to focus instead on all the things I have in Christ.
I also still struggle with how to think about myself. I know that God has given me some good gifts and I love to use them but the sinful side of me loves to get noticed using them. I need to remember that my gift of teaching does not make me any better than anyone else. I need to remember that I am to use my gift not for my own glory but for the benefit of the Body and for the glory of God.
This passage tells me that God is very just and the master planner - he knew what each person needs in the time period in which they live to accomplish his plan for this world and so he gave each person the gift necessary to fulfill the purpose for which he created them and to do the job that he has assigned to them. This is an incredible mind!
Friday, September 14, 2007
deep
Romans 11:33-36
Paul ends this section with an outpouring of spontaneous praise. This could be a hymn that the early church sang or it could be a Paul original. In any case, what Paul sings about is the incredible depths to the mind of God. He is entirely beyond figuring out - not because he is inconsistent (although from a human perspective he can seem that way) but because he is so completely different than we are and anything else that we've ever experienced is. Paul also sings about the fact that God does not owe anyone anything. No one has ever given to God what God hasn't given to him in the first place. No one holds God in his debt. He is the source of all things and the giver of all things.
My heart bursts to sing of God's greatness! Even though I can't understand him and even when he seems dangerous and untame I know that he is good and he is great. Sing with me?
Paul ends this section with an outpouring of spontaneous praise. This could be a hymn that the early church sang or it could be a Paul original. In any case, what Paul sings about is the incredible depths to the mind of God. He is entirely beyond figuring out - not because he is inconsistent (although from a human perspective he can seem that way) but because he is so completely different than we are and anything else that we've ever experienced is. Paul also sings about the fact that God does not owe anyone anything. No one has ever given to God what God hasn't given to him in the first place. No one holds God in his debt. He is the source of all things and the giver of all things.
My heart bursts to sing of God's greatness! Even though I can't understand him and even when he seems dangerous and untame I know that he is good and he is great. Sing with me?
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
benefitting from disobedience
Romans 11:25-32
Paul connects disobedience and mercy in this passage. He quotes from Isaiah and Jeremiah to support his point that all Israel will be saved. His main argument is that the hardening of Israel is not a complete and total hardening but that one day they will return to God. I, as a Gentile, benefit from Israel's disobedience. His logic is: Israel disobeyed God so God turned his attention to the Gentiles; this pouring out of mercy on the Gentiles will stir up envy in the heart of Israel and they will repent and receive God's mercy. Because God is in control, it means that he turned us all (Jew and Gentile) over to the disobedience so he could have mercy on is. Our sinfulness was predetermined by God in order to bring him glory.
This does not excuse me (Paul makes that clear - at some level it was still my choice to be disobedient). It does speak of the incredible sovereignty of God and how far he will go to bring himself glory. In a human this would be incredeibly selfish but because there is no one higher than God that he should be seeking glory for, it is right and good (and hard to understand).
Paul connects disobedience and mercy in this passage. He quotes from Isaiah and Jeremiah to support his point that all Israel will be saved. His main argument is that the hardening of Israel is not a complete and total hardening but that one day they will return to God. I, as a Gentile, benefit from Israel's disobedience. His logic is: Israel disobeyed God so God turned his attention to the Gentiles; this pouring out of mercy on the Gentiles will stir up envy in the heart of Israel and they will repent and receive God's mercy. Because God is in control, it means that he turned us all (Jew and Gentile) over to the disobedience so he could have mercy on is. Our sinfulness was predetermined by God in order to bring him glory.
This does not excuse me (Paul makes that clear - at some level it was still my choice to be disobedient). It does speak of the incredible sovereignty of God and how far he will go to bring himself glory. In a human this would be incredeibly selfish but because there is no one higher than God that he should be seeking glory for, it is right and good (and hard to understand).
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
rooted
Romans 11:17-24
Paul describes a tree where certain branches have been cut off and other branches have been grafted in. The grafted in branches become part of the main tree.
Paul warns the Gentiles, as grafted in branches, not to be arrogant about their new position because a) they do not bring life to the root but are brought to life by the root and b) it would be easy for God to break them off and graft the original branches back in. Paul's point is that the nation of Israel was cut off because of unbelief and we were grafted in by faith - not by any merit in ourselves. If we lose faith and become arrogant (thinking, like Israel did, that we somehow merited our position), we are in danger of being cut off.
This is not the picture of God that we generally hold to. Paul actually points this out: we see both the kindness and the sterness of God in this. He is so kind and gracious and merciful that he grafted me in but he is stern - he is not soft. This is a God that I can worship because he is strong and fills me with wonder (and, at times, fear - not in the sense that he is a boogey man but in the sense that he is an incredibly powerful and wild king).
On a side note, I am incredibly frustrated with the NIV study bible since they never have notes on the interesting verses. For example, they remain strangely silent on v. 21 and the end of v. 22. Have some balls!!
Paul describes a tree where certain branches have been cut off and other branches have been grafted in. The grafted in branches become part of the main tree.
Paul warns the Gentiles, as grafted in branches, not to be arrogant about their new position because a) they do not bring life to the root but are brought to life by the root and b) it would be easy for God to break them off and graft the original branches back in. Paul's point is that the nation of Israel was cut off because of unbelief and we were grafted in by faith - not by any merit in ourselves. If we lose faith and become arrogant (thinking, like Israel did, that we somehow merited our position), we are in danger of being cut off.
This is not the picture of God that we generally hold to. Paul actually points this out: we see both the kindness and the sterness of God in this. He is so kind and gracious and merciful that he grafted me in but he is stern - he is not soft. This is a God that I can worship because he is strong and fills me with wonder (and, at times, fear - not in the sense that he is a boogey man but in the sense that he is an incredibly powerful and wild king).
On a side note, I am incredibly frustrated with the NIV study bible since they never have notes on the interesting verses. For example, they remain strangely silent on v. 21 and the end of v. 22. Have some balls!!
Monday, September 10, 2007
I make Jews envious?
Romans 11:11-6
The key words here are: trangression, envy, riches. Paul contrasts the loss of for the Jews to the riches of the Gentiles, the benefits the Gentiles received from the rejection and hardening of the Jews to the benefits the world will receive from their awakening and acceptance.
Paul is arguing that God still has a purpose for the Jews - that his rejection of them (based on their rejection of him) is not final but that by opening the door to the Gentiles, God is hoping to arouse the envy of the Jews. I understand his argument but it seems a bit contradictory: God knows that the Gentiles being brought into the covenant will not make the Jews envious because it is God himself, according to Paul in the previous verses, who has hardened and blinded the Jews.
In this passage I see the sovereignty of God again: he is orchestrating the events of this world, including the (according to Paul, temporary) hardening of the hearts of the nation of Israel for his ultimate glory. God is at work. As far as what I should be doing because of this passage, I am humbled because I am made aware again that my being adopted in the family of God had so little to do with me and so much to do with God and his character.
The key words here are: trangression, envy, riches. Paul contrasts the loss of for the Jews to the riches of the Gentiles, the benefits the Gentiles received from the rejection and hardening of the Jews to the benefits the world will receive from their awakening and acceptance.
Paul is arguing that God still has a purpose for the Jews - that his rejection of them (based on their rejection of him) is not final but that by opening the door to the Gentiles, God is hoping to arouse the envy of the Jews. I understand his argument but it seems a bit contradictory: God knows that the Gentiles being brought into the covenant will not make the Jews envious because it is God himself, according to Paul in the previous verses, who has hardened and blinded the Jews.
In this passage I see the sovereignty of God again: he is orchestrating the events of this world, including the (according to Paul, temporary) hardening of the hearts of the nation of Israel for his ultimate glory. God is at work. As far as what I should be doing because of this passage, I am humbled because I am made aware again that my being adopted in the family of God had so little to do with me and so much to do with God and his character.
Friday, September 7, 2007
bad hermeneutics and a mystery God
Romans 11:7-10
The key word of this passage is "hardened". Paul is saying that even among God's chosen people, he has still chosen to harden and blind some to the truth. He is basically continuing his argument from chapter 10: even among the nation who rejected the Messiah there remains a remnant of those who accept him.
Paul proves his point by quoting two passages of Scripture. One, from Isaiah, is used mainly within the context that Isaiah intended. The other would receive a failing grade from any bible college professor worth his salt. When I went to college, there were all kinds of rules about interpreting and using Scripture: consider the genre, the context, the original intent of the author, etc. Here, Paul takes poetry written by David against his enemies and uses it to describe those of the nation of Israel whose hearts God has chosen to harden. He breaks all the rules!
I don't understand God. First he chooses the children of Jacob as his special nation and then he chooses some (actually the vast majority) within that nation to be hardened and blinded to the truth. I don't understand how this brings God glory. It also puts some fear into my heart: if God would choose a people and then reject the majority of them, how secure am I? I think Paul tells me in the rest of this chapter that I am not very secure.
The key word of this passage is "hardened". Paul is saying that even among God's chosen people, he has still chosen to harden and blind some to the truth. He is basically continuing his argument from chapter 10: even among the nation who rejected the Messiah there remains a remnant of those who accept him.
Paul proves his point by quoting two passages of Scripture. One, from Isaiah, is used mainly within the context that Isaiah intended. The other would receive a failing grade from any bible college professor worth his salt. When I went to college, there were all kinds of rules about interpreting and using Scripture: consider the genre, the context, the original intent of the author, etc. Here, Paul takes poetry written by David against his enemies and uses it to describe those of the nation of Israel whose hearts God has chosen to harden. He breaks all the rules!
I don't understand God. First he chooses the children of Jacob as his special nation and then he chooses some (actually the vast majority) within that nation to be hardened and blinded to the truth. I don't understand how this brings God glory. It also puts some fear into my heart: if God would choose a people and then reject the majority of them, how secure am I? I think Paul tells me in the rest of this chapter that I am not very secure.
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