Daniel 9:24-27, in this prophecy, there are seventy weeks or 490 years determined unto Daniel's people and the holy city to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Have these 6 things been fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah, and the judgment of it carried out in 70 AD? If so, all of this prophecy has been fulfilled in the past.
1 To finish the transgression. To break or violate, as a law, civil or moral; the act of transgressing. Psalms 32:1Isaiah 53:5-11Romans 4:14-15Galatians 3:18-19Hebrews 9:14-15.
2 To make an end to sins. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Matthew 1:21Hebrews 10:8-11John 1:291 Corinthians 15:31 John 3:5Psalm 32:1Romans 3:21-26 Romans 8:3.
3 To make reconciliation for iniquity. Reconciliation is an element of salvation that refers to the results of the atonement. Colossians 1:20-22Isaiah 53:6Isaiah 53:11Romans 5:11Ephesians 2:16Titus 2:142 Corinthians 5:18-19.
4 To bring in everlasting righteousness. In conformity to the demands of the covenant and according to God's will. Isaiah 61:10-11Romans 3:21-26 Romans 5:17-212 Corinthians 5:211 Peter 2:24.
5 To seal up the vision and prophecy. The greatest prediction, which runs like a golden thread through the whole contents of the Old Testament, is that regarding the coming and work of the Messiah, Jesus. Daniel 9:23Matthew 11:11-15Mark 1:14-15John 5:36-40John 6:27Acts 3:18.
6 To anoint the most holy. The high priest went into the holy of holies once a year with the blood of a sacrificed bull. Jesus our high priest with His own blood anointed the most holy not made with hands once and for all, forever. Hebrews 9:6-14.
It seems you are struggling with the fruit of salvation.
This is an area we all struggle with to some degree.
However if you are a born again believer and truly "TRUSTING IN THE WORK OF CHRIST AND HIS SACRIFICIAL WORK ON THE CROSS" those wages has been paid in full.
Sin brought on death.
That's why we are to be born Again by the working of the Holyspirit. This is more precisely "Born from above"
Now we have Christ spirit working in us.
John 16:8 says the Holyspirit will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
He will reprove it or show it to be wrong.
No amount of preaching, pleading, or pointing of fingers will bring about the conviction of sin, unless the Holy Spirit is at work in the sinner's heart!
So God bless you Bryanna!
The most basic sin of which the world is guilty is unbelief.
Once a person responds to the Spirit's conviction and turns to faith in Christ, the other sins he practiced will be taken care of. It is the sin of unbelief "a refusal to trust in Jesus is what is primary.
Romans 6:20-22 reads,"For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed?
for the end of those things is death.
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Justification, Righteousness and Sanctification.
We have "been justified by his blood" ( Romans 5:9), and part of that justification is an imputation of His own righteousness.
Christ righteousness has been imputed over to us.
Romans 5:8-10. 2 Corinthians 5:21, and Romans 3:22
sums it up as well.
That does not mean we automatically do what is right, that will come through the process of sanctification.
Romans 5:12 says Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
The fact is that we are all born with Adam's sin and hence at enmity with God. Our hearts are as Jeremiah 17:9 says "desperately wicked." No one does good ( Romans 3:10-12 and in Psalms); and we are estranged from the womb ( Psalm 58:3). So the first issue is the thought that anyone is "good" which inevitably comes from comparing ourselves to another "worse" person like Hitler (unless we are that bad ourselves and we can't appeal to anyone worse; in that case we probably wouldn't want to concern ourselves with doing good deeds. Our deeds also; BTW are evil; even our best deeds as "filthy rags". ( Isaiah 64:6). This "grace Gospel" as it is known is obviously taken from Romans as a primary source but reflects many scripture verses. Or as someone once said "a hundred percent sinner needs a hundred percent savior" (can't seem to find this entire phrase quoted by anyone).
Now death; of course in the law comes in two ways; MURDER or justifiable killing whether to exact a punishment "a life for a life" (part of Deuteronomy 19:21). It also is involved with the wars and conquests of Israel with the admittedly hard verses about exterminating entire peoples including women and children in certain circumstances. The understandable aspect of this is when the descendents of the Nephilim (or angels with women producing giant hybrid offspring) were exterminated; being an aberrant being without and eternal soul perhaps the proper interpretation of Isaiah 26:14. That is a deep study; but no doubt this is easier than explaining extermination of human beings. Those nations which were conquered had common practices of child sacrifice with idol worship; therefore it could have saved the children from a worse death. Genesis 15:16 shows how God waits until iniquity is full before utter destruction.
GOD is light, and in Him is no darkness at all-1Jo.1:5.The Word is GOD from everlasting to everlasting,self-executing.
The Word of GOD is quick,and powerful,and sharper than any twoedged sword,piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,and of the joints and marrow,and is a DISCERNER of the THOUGHTS and INTENTS of the heart-the Word is GOD-, neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight:but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we must render an account-Heb.4:12-13.
By the way,Jeremiah says:The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:who can know it?I the Lord search the heart,I try the reins,even to give every MAN according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings-Jer.17:9-10.
The Word made flesh,the Word is GOD,self-executing,He who calls Himself JESUS,He Himself said:...that which cometh out of the mouth,this defileth a man-Mt.15:11.Death and life are in the power of the tongue-Prov.18:21.
JESUS said more:Mt.15:18-19:
18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart;and they defile the man.
19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,false witness, murders,adulteries,fornications,thefts,blasphemies:
For meditation and testify:
Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
We could or can understand that everyone dies through the mouth.
Compare this deep mystery of the death with Romans 3:12-18, combined with James 3:1-12,mainly verses 5to8.
But what does the Word of GOD say?1Cor.15:26->The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.Now, now, the death is an ENEMY,
so we must fight against this ENEMY and be transformed, knowing that the sting of death is sin- Matthew 15:19;the strength of sin is the Law. Yes, transformed and be changed( Philippians 3:20-21),for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality,understand?
But thanks be to GOD, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
OK getting back to my postings about God's attributes:
"R" GOD IS RIGHTEOUS
He always does what is good and right. He never deviates from being sinless. He always thinks, says, and does everything righteously from pure and holy motives. There is no shadow of "darkness" in Him as to evil. His righteousness is far above whatever righteousness man can perform because even our righteousness is tainted by sin.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" In all of history, there has never been and strictly human person who is sinless. so, there has never been a strictly human person who is able to save himself from the condemnation of sin let alone anyone else.
Because of the complete and utter fallenness of mankind, there can be no redeemer from among humanity. There is no one whose righteousness is so pure and complete to be efficacious for the removal of God's judgment upon ALL of mankind.
It takes the righteousness of God to save mankind and God determined that his righteousness would come to save mankind by His divine Son becoming a man, righteous in every way, since He is God and cannot be unrighteous, and dying as our sacrifice.
The divine Son of God was incarnated, as John says in John 1:1, 14, ad became man for our sake. As God said in the OT, it is God alone who is Savior (Is 43:1, 11; 45;21; Hos 13:4) therefore, Jesus is God who is our Savior. If He is not God, then He is not our Savior because no strictly human man can save anyone. It is God who saves, who, though God the Son, took on human flesh and nature to be the only Kinsmen Redeemer who can take a way our sin, be a perfect, worthy, and more than sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and to be able to bear the complete wrath of God for mankind for all their sins. No mere human can do that,
In Titus 2:13 Jesus is called our "Great God and Savior"
Whether in the "Arminian" or "Calvinistic" camps; God's sovereignty and man's inability to save himself apart from His grace is fairly universally accepted. The issue comes in as to whether mans' "free will" acts to make a decision whether to follow or not follow Christ and "accept" Him into their hearts. Both camps will hold to Romans 10:9 related to a verbal and heartfelt confession accompanying saving faith. I would contend that it is not as some like to call it "decisional regeneration" that occurs as a result of something we say; but that what we say is a reflection of God already moving one towards repentance as scripture states it is a gift of God ( 2 Tim. 2:25 and also stated in the Book of Acts). We are truly saved "apart from the law" ( Romans 3:21) by grace; but of course Paul makes it clear that we aren't granted a "license to sin" once we have escaped from the wrath of God. Nothing we can do will earn us grace; and more importantly there is no desire in unregenerate man to follow God; at best man can try to avoid the consequences of sin which of course makes us all as Judas Iscariot who betrayed Christ yet realized he had betrayed an innocent man and thus hung himself. (see 2 Corinthians 7:10). It should be obvious how essential the doctrine of grace is; as all other eligions and even Christian cults will offer a combination of faith in Christ and works as needed to be saved; or it is asceticism such as Eastern religions offer that seem to bring a utopia for someone after doing good works after a lengthy cycle of death and rebirth (reincarnation) which of course fundamentally is opposed by Hebrews 9:27. Often it is another Christ; whether presented as as sage or great prophet which is expounded that we should follow rather than the true Jesus who was the Son of God. John 8:24 makes it clear that we must believe that "I am" truly meaning that He is the Christ. ( Matt. 16:13-20). ONLY CHRIST CAN REVEAL THE TRUTH TO A MAN.
That is true Rainwalker, in reference to Genesis 26:5. But the question: what were the "commandments, statutes and laws" that were given to Abraham to obey? We aren't given the specifics apart from God's clear directions to him. And even if they were the same as those given to Moses (and that's an IF), how would those laws given to Abraham & later to Israel, come to bear upon those now in Christ Jesus & been given God's Spirit to reside in them?
As even the apostle stated in Romans 7:10, "And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death"; could there be any Law given, whether to Abraham, Moses, & Israel, as pure & righteous as those Laws were, have given to any of them, life (i.e. the promise of eternal life)? Each one had to stand by their faith before God, the Law giving them absolutely no justification before God ( Romans 3:20).
Likewise, the Law can have no bearing on those now In Christ, for we stand by faith alone in Christ's finished Work for us & for all who would come to Him & believe on Him. Do we then remain lawless? Rather, the Law of Faith ( Romans 3:27) now stands, as it did before to those under the Old Covenant, but now this Law (of Faith) is energized in us by the Holy Spirit giving us power to live triumphantly & acceptably before God - that which the Old Law could never do & was never designed to do. Abraham wasn't accepted simply on how well he kept whatever Laws were given him, but that it was his faith that took him beyond the letter, where he obeyed God, claimed God's Promises, & looked beyond what the physical eye & mind could apprehend ( Hebrews 11:8-10).
This amazingly started on a previous post where Paul was said to not be saved or atleast "not yet"
Paul said he was saved. If he didn't make it we're in trouble!
Paul said he was a master builder, and he helped lay the foundation which we are to build on.
Paul said a crown was laid up in heaven for him. 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
We have faults in our walk down here on earth tho we thrive for perfection.
Our thriving is evident we are not perfect. Another way we know we're not is that we die.
God requirements is perfection. If you ever sinned it's already to late if you feel you can come from under the atonement of the LORD.
We're left "Naked" without "CHRIST RIGHTEOUSNESS"
The Idea that you and I can be wrong about any matter suggests that we are not perfect.
How could this same corrupted person that struggle "WITHIN" judge anything to correct it to a degree he or she cannot reach? ( God's Holiness that we cannot fully comprehend)
Ignorance is no excuse!!
Only given an earnest of the Spirit can we fully comprehend the Holiness of God? No!
Part 7. J Vernon Mcgee. (Paul and James View Works)
When it comes to the word works, surely Paul and James must mean the same thing, do they not? No, they absolutely do not. When Paul speaks of works, he speaks of the works of the Law. I wonder if you have ever noticed that? Will you listen to him,
Therefore, by the deeds [or works] of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. ( Romans 3:20)
So, it is clear that when Paul is talking about works, he is talking about the works of the Law. Then turn to Galatians 2:16 where we read, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Here again Paul is talking about the works of the Law.
But James talks about the works of faith. Could he be any more explicit than when he says,
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith [not the works of the Law, but that which faith produces] without works is dead? ( James 2:20)
Therefore, if man's faith does not produce works, that man's faith is dead. Here we find that the two men have two extremely different sources of works in mind. James, that of faith; Paul, that of the Law.
Paul and James Use Abraham to Illustrate.
At this point, let's bring the teaching of these two men to bear upon the life of God's great servant, Abraham, in the question of justification, for we find both Paul and James using Abraham as an example. This is of keen interest as we see that Paul lets us look at Abraham when God made His first appearance to him, and James goes to the end of his life when God made His seventh and last appearance to Abraham. Paul goes back to the birth of Isaac and the time when God called Abraham - at which time this man had no works and had very feeble faith, but nonetheless a faith sufficient to move out with God. And when he moved out with God, he was justified by faith.-
God made Jesus Lord, Acts 2:36, made is thee Greek word ginomai that means to come into being, to happen, to become. This was foreordained before the foundation of the world and this Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world, 1 Peter 1:19-20Revelation 13:8, foreordained the Greek word proginosko means to know beforehand to appoint or decree beforehand.
I see too many Scriptures that do not agree with the doctrine. I hope this makes sense. This is Scripture without man's knowledge or wisdom 1 Corinthians 1:22Jeremiah 10:10 10 Malachi 2:10Mark 12:32
Paul wrote these; Romans 3:30Romans 15:61 Corinthians 8:62 Corinthians 1:32 Corinthians 11:31Ephesians 1:3Ephesians 1:17Ephesians 3:14Ephesians 4:6Colossians 1:31 Timothy 2:5
Peter wrote this; 1 Peter 1:3
These are Jesus's words Himself; Matthew 27:46 Same in Mark 15:34John 14:28John 17:3John 20:17Revelation 3:12
What this says to me, there is only one true God who is the God and Father of Jesus,
These Scriptures are clear without our wisdom or knowledge do not agree with the doctrine of the Trinity. I do thank you and again I hope you do not consider me a Gnostic that would be sad, they are more of a philosophical like the immortal soul came from Greek philosophy, I am believer and follower of Jesus our Lord and savior.
Thank you and I do not mind, I just sent this to S Spencer, I once believed Jesus preexisted but some things just did not feel right, 2 Cor. 11:3-4 stood out. I will do my best to give my understanding starting with Rev. 3:14. The beginning of the creation of God. God has no beginning or end, I understand this as God's plan for all creation began with Jesus, God's Son and all creation came after until all is made new, we were in this plan.
God declared the end from the beginning, Isaiah 46:10. God brought forth Jesus from His plan in the fullness of time, and Jesus's physical existence began with the miraculous virgin birth of our Lord from heaven, Ephesians 1:101 Corinthians 15:47. How this virgin conception was done by the Holy Ghost I have no clue; Jesus is the begotten Son of God if anything is begotten it has a beginning.
Jesus was the second man who came into this world without sin, Man had to live a perfect life to fulfill the law that was placed on man to make it void, Romans 3:19-20. Jesus as a man did this and paid the price that through Him is the only way to our Father John 14:6. My understanding of Jesus being the first in God's creation and everything came by Him and for Him and through Him and when Jesus completed what purpose His Father sent Him to do Jesus became heir of all that God created after Him, Hebrews 1:2. I will do my best to give my understanding although we may not agree we can see and study the other side.
I have tried to address some aspects of those questions in my earlier comments regarding the Nature of Salvation and what it means to be "Saved", although inadequately I'm sure. Any truth that we may have come to understand from Scripture is only by God's Mercy as He may choose to open our understanding.
I will attempt to further address your questions in more detail, which may take several post and time. Ultimately, what I say is worth nothing. Only what God declares in His Word, the Bible, the Entire Bible, is important as we seek to "compare scripture with scripture" in order to come to Truth.
The starting point must be our condition, apart from God's Mercy in Salvation, which God summarize in Romans 3 in language that we don't like to hear:
Romans 3:10-18 As it is written, There is NONE righteous, no, NOT ONE: There is NONE that understandeth, there is NONE that seeketh after God. They are ALL gone out of the way, they are TOGETHER become unprofitable; there is NONE that doeth good, no, NOT ONE. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Emphatic and all inclusive! This condition applies to each and every one of us throughout time once Adam sinned. And because of Adam's sin, God has delivered all of mankind (as all of mankind was in the loins of Adam) and the Creation itself under Bondage to Sin and Satan.
We are Spiritually DEAD, body and soul, and are under the sentence of DEATH, body and soul, required by the Law of God for each and every sin, every violation of the Law of God, that we commit each and every day of our life.
So Chris, if I'm understanding you correctly, You believe that you are saved because you made a decision to "accept" Christ of your own free will.
Or perhaps that God, before the foundation of the world, knew that you would be wise enough to accept a salvation that God offers and therefore chose you to become saved.
That is not what I read in the Bible concerning the nature of mankind that is DEAD in trespasses and sin and in BONDAGE to sin and Satan.
Nor is it what God declares regarding the nature of Salvation itself.
You are describing a salvation of grace + works. It is a do-it-yourself salvation program. Where Christ has done His part and now it's up to you to appropriate that salvation. That is a salvation plan that to one degree or another is taught in virtually every church of our day and is not the Salvation of the Bible.
Romans 3:10-18
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Salvation is all of grace. And is 100% the work of God. If we have become Saved, Our FAITH Our BELIEF Our OBEDIENCE is the RESULT of God having applied His Salvation to our life. It is in no way whatsoever the REASON nor the CAUSE of our Salvation.
Dors not cancel what Jesus said or what Paul says to sin no more. 1st John 1:8 is not at all saying "if we say we have no sin that we commit everyday we deceive ourselves. 1st John 1:8 is referring to 1st John 1:3-4 writing to people how to have fellowship with John to be called a Christian and not a sinner any more as all sin is of the devil period 1st John 3:8. When we come to Christ we where all sinners as all has come short of the glory of God Romans 3:23. John is giving out the plan of salvation how to be saved.
All means all not just one or two things in your life. Jesus never died for one sin or two things he died so all sin can be washed forgiven and forgotten.
Get out of get into verse 9 to confess your sin. If you want to be in verse 8 be my guess, you are going to roast, you are going to burn. Verse 9 tells me he is just and able to forgive all sin and NOT just not one or two things.
1st John 1:9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
[10] If we say that we have not sinn((ed)), we make him a liar, and his word is not in us
According to the bible in 1st John 1:6, you are the liar as you claim salvation, you claim fellowship to be a brother of Jesus Christ, and yet you are still walking like the devil hand in hand with him. Obviously, you were told a lie believing you are walking with Jesus when in reality you are walking with the devil in sin.
1st John 1:6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness,((sin)) we lie, and do not the truth:
[7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
We are to be dead unto sin once Romans 6:10-12. Jesus died unto sin once and not over and over to sin and repent as you are calling Jesus a liar and putting him to an open shame. No sinner can make heaven no matter how you slice it as all sin is of the devil.
Not justified to remain a sinner, we are justified to be the image of the Son of God. If I am the image of the Son of God Jesus Christ, how can I be the image of the devil st the sametime? You have to ve dead to one sin (the devil) to be alive unto another righteousnes (Jesus Christ). Jesus never died to establish a new type of sinner called a Christian sinner, God forbid. Jesus died so sinners can be Christians can be holy.
Romans 3:24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
[25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of -->sins that are past, being now
Roman: Remember Romans 3:23 "All have fallen short of the Glory of God". So you can run to another country if you want. But you cannot hide from evil... Unless you stay in God's grace. To be truly safe one must rest in Yahweh's arms. One who truly knows Christ is never afraid of mankind. Do you know Jesus Christ? Call on Him now. He stands at the door waiting for an invite.
".. because they compassions fail not; They are new every morning: Great is Thy faithfulness." So, so thankful!
For "G" I think that God is GOOD:
Only God is truly good, without any lack of goodness, nor does He have any evil in Him. He is perfectly, eternally good. There is no one truly good beside Him as Jesus said in Mark 10:18.
Romans 3:12 says that there is no one who does good, all of us have sinned and fall short of the good that is who God is. His goodness is the mark that we fall short of.
In Genesis 1 we see that all that God created was good. It was truly good, but not perfected as He is perfect. Satan and mankind were able to sin, but God had this in mind when He made the Everlasting Covenant within the Godhead before creation. His aim in creating was to perfect a people for Himself in eternity for all eternity so that, with the angels, we will forever do His will, love one another, worship God in the way He deserves, and sing of His goodness forever.
2Chr. 7:3 says that God is good; His love endures forever. How comforting it is to know that God will never do to us what is wrong! see Ps. 119:68-the Lord is good and all that He does is good. Ps. 145:9 says that the LORD is good to ALL!
Ps. 100:5 attests that the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures through ALL generations.
So knowing that God is truly Good all the time, we, who have been made sons and daughter of God by the Holy Spirit through the work of His Son, ought to seek what is good and hate what is evil. We should avoid company that would lead us into sin, situations that will tempt us to do evil. We should live as one who has been set free of the slavery of our sinful nature and live for God, being slaves to righteousness. We cannot earn our way to God with good deeds, but we are to live as He wants us to, and that is to do what is good and righteous, godly and God-honoring. We should despise our sins and flee evil, resisting Satan.
You're changing the narrative to strengthen your point.
You said,
Just because you strive for righteousness and strive to walk in Jesus's example does not mean you're trying to earn heaven.
We agree on striving for righteousness and strive to walk in Jesus's example! When did you get that?
You also said, "You think the 10 commandments apply- obviously the argument that since Jesus it's ok to do "whatever" is a weak argument"
I've never heard anyone say that on this site, in fact for years we've made it very very clear that the commandments was Holy and they were to show man he is a sinner.
The emphasis has always been on man and his inability to keep the commandments and man's fallen sinful nature.
Is man sinful? Yes!
Has all sinned? Yes!
Romans 3:10
1 John 1:8-10.
Can the commandments make him right with God? No! Galatians 2:21.
It has never been anything close to an argument whether killing, stealing, adultery, ect was a sin or not on this site, and you know that.
There's plenty sins we make that is not listed in the 10 commandments, We sin in our mind and heart, Lack of patience and trust in God is a sin.
You can sin doing the right thing because you didn't want to. Our rebellious nature is sinful.
The Power of Christ resurrection didn't just atone for your sins, it also quickened you to live a live a productive life in Christ, pleasing to God. Romans 8:9-13.
And even with this power and energy from the Holyspirit you can't come from underneath the blood of Christ.
Scripture teaches if a man continues in sin he's not saved. You call that a straw man's argument. But I'm sure you will admit that all have sinned.
You've said no one knows whether they are saved or not until the judgment, But if we're saved by keeping the law it should be clear to you that we're all condemned considering the strictness of the law, then how do God judge his people? He'd have to compromise if Galatians 2:16 isn't true.
The Ten Commandments are ten laws in the Bible that God gave to the nation of Israel after the exodus from Egypt.
They are essentially a summary of the 613 commandments contained in the Old Testament Law.
The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God. The last six commandments deal with our relationships with one another.
Many people mistakenly look at the Ten Commandments as a set of rules that, if followed, will guarantee entrance into heaven after death.
In contrast, the purpose of the Ten Commandments is to force people to realize that they cannot perfectly obey the Law ( Romans 7:7-11), and are therefore in need of God's mercy and grace.
No one can perfectly obey the Ten Commandments ( Ecclesiastes 7:20.
The Ten Commandments demonstrate that we have all sinned ( Romans 3:23) and are therefore in need of God's mercy and grace, available only through faith in Jesus Christ.
Tdianne, All of God Commandments are holy and any STRENGTH you have to keep them comes after you have been saved.
If you have ever ONCE broken any one of these commandments you've already fallen short of God's requirements and in need of God's mercy through trusting in the one whom God has sent to take away the sins of the whole world. Jesus!
So, should you be baptized? Yes, if you ARE saved but not to get saved.
You are saved by trusting and believing in Christ and his finish work on the cross.
Everything else is obedience to him after you are saved, because he wills you and Lords over your life with a regenerated heart of flesh which causes you to love God's statutes and yet convicts you of sin so we will fully appreciate the grace of Christ.
Hi David0921. Just to touch on some of the points in your recent several comments.
Referring to Romans 3: Yes, it is a chapter of mankind's sinful condition, hence it was not written TO ALL mankind, but ABOUT ALL mankind. So, if all mankind lies in sin, how does God seek to remedy that disease? We know that it can only be through Christ, but where we differ is that you believe that Christ's Blood availed for those OT sinners while they were still alive. My belief: that Christ's Blood availed for them & us, ONLY after the payment for sin was completed.
Hades. 1 Corinthians 15:55 only speaks about 'death & the grave'. Looking at the Greek, for both those words, 'thanatos' is given & not Hades. So 'death & the grave' are understood as only that: 'death as confined to the grave'; no Hades here, a word which refers to an actual hell of spiritual confinement.
Then to the passages I shared, to which you wrote that 'none of them support OT believers going to a place called Hades at death'. For sure, most of those references just spoke about a very real place called Hades, to which I was drawing your attention to the fact that there is a name Hades. But when Jesus spoke of Abraham & Lazarus also being there, this is where "we (must) compare scripture with scripture using the principles that God lays down in His Word" (your quote). If we then disregard Luke 16:19-31 in its entirety, then we do great disservice to God's Word & our understanding of (for example, Hades) then becomes skewed. Onto Page 2.
Christ was the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Rev 13:8
Hebrews 4:2,3 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Romans 3:10,11 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Romans 3:10,11 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
These verses apply to ALL MANKIND. whether they lived in Old Testament or New Testament times. And for God to forgive any sin of any kind at any time is for that sin to have been paid for. And all of the sacrifices of the Old Testament could never pay the penalty demanded by the Law of God for any sin of any kind at any time.
Forgiveness of sin has everything to do with Salvation itself. Any Old Testament Believer was "saved" just like any New Testament Believer. That is, Christ must have "paid for their sins" and that Salvation must have been applied to them by making them Born Again. And that is ALL the work of God Alone, Grace Alone.
John 3:3,4 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? John 3:9,10 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Nicodemus was an "Old Testament" Jew under the Ceremonial Laws.
So again, Salvation, the forgiveness of sin, any sin of any kind in any time can only be forgiven if we have become Born Again by God's Grace Alone.
The keeping of the Ceremonial Laws, the keeping of any Law of God could never "save" anyone or forgive any sin at any time in history. Abel's sacrifice did not forgive his sins, did not save him. Abel's sacrifice was acceptable to God because God had "saved" him. Cain's offering was not because Gid had not saved him.
Hello Kstott. When the Bible speaks of blood, whether of animals or man, it denotes the miracle of life given us by God; "for the life of the flesh is in the blood" ( Leviticus 17:11). As all mankind are born with sinful flesh, with a propensity to sin & violate the holy requirements of God ( Romans 3:23), God being both loving & just, is compelled to either condemn us or forgive us. To condemn would be simple, as we fully deserve the penalty of our sins ( Romans 6:23), but God reached out to us in our miserable hopeless state & provided a way of hope, healing & restoration.
To His people Israel of old, God instituted the sacrificial system where the high priest would offer the blood of animals to atone for their sins & reconcile them to God ( Leviticus 8:15; Exodus 30:10). It was a case of the people either dying in their sins or that a substitute was provided on their behalf so their lives were spared. At this time, animals were sacrificed & their blood shed (i.e. their life given), & this was accepted by God to forgive them. But this was done yearly, because the blood offering of animals could never be permanent as this was man's offering to God, to stay God's Hand from them. But God had planned a future day, when He Himself would offer His Sacrifice to fully atone & redeem His people - & this Sacrifice would be made available to both Jew & Gentile. And this Sacrifice was God Himself, in sending His Word to become man ( John 1:1-14) & giving His Life as the only Pure & Perfect Sacrifice that would be fully acceptable to Him.
Revelation 20:11-11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
I experienced the Holy Spirt immediately present in me.
I didn't find it in Romans 10:9 bc later found that that was for the Jews back in the transitional period where Apostle Paul is beseeching his brethren!
I didn't find it in 1 Corinthians 15 either bc later found out that was a gospel of Reproof!
But the Holy Spirit entered in after reading Through Romans & at Romans 3:24/25/26 Gods free gift to all AMEN!
Many seriously believe that they are saved but it's all like Pinterest fluffiness.
SO You need to protect your souls I seriously ask you to join the Firstborn school & fellowship absolutely FREE, to escape what is ahead! 2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
The mark of the beast will devour many!
And I can say I will meet those who take eternity seriously find out how to get in the book of life!
Revelation 20:11-11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
At the end of Romans Chapter 1, it tells us that every Gentile is without excuse and how God ministers to Gentiles through creation. It is a fascinating study.
Also (secondly), we have the prosecution against the Jews. In Chapter 2 Verse 1 through Chapter 3 Verse 8, the Jews didn't think they were guilty of anything. They preached the law to the Gentiles. Boy, are they upset with Paul when Paul says that it doesn't make any difference whether you are Jew or Gentile because it applies to you too. The Jews didn't believe that.
And then thirdly in Chapter 3 Verse 9 to 20, we have the prosecution against all mankind or humankind. This is the universal judgment against the world.
You see, before Paul could tell us about salvation and righteousness, and justification and forgiveness of sins, he has to present the case from God's courtroom as to how and why we are guilty, how we are sinners, and we have sinned against God.
That's not a religious standard. That's a judicial presentation from God's courtroom as to what sin is to God, and how He views us and how we are guilty. By the time you get through with that, you are going to say "Okay, I got the point!"
But then after the indictment, we study about the imputation, the doctrine of justification. Justification means to be lined up with the law correctly, to fulfill the requirements of the law. I'm guilty! How do I pay the penalty? Imputation means to credit your account. It's not given to you. It is credited to your account.
Imputation - The Doctrine of Justification ( Romans 3:21-5:21)
Romans 3:21-31 - The Presentation of Justification
Romans 4 - The Principles of Justification
Romans 5 - The Privileges of Justification
Romans 3:21 to 31 is the presentation of justification.
The first part of the book is the doctrine of the Christian faith, which is Romans Chapter 1 Verse 18 through Chapter 11 Verse 36. The introduction is the first 17 verses.
And that introduction is divided into three parts:
Romans 1:1-7 - Paul's Position in Ministry
Romans 1:8-15 - Paul's Plan for Ministry
Romans 1:16-17 - Paul's Perception of Ministry.
Now believe it or not, embedded, and I emphasize the word embedded, but in these 17 verses are three important doctrines. They are the doctrine of Jesus Christ, the doctrine of ministry, and the doctrine of the gospel. These are all found in these first 17 verses. In fact, every verse, even the introduction can be considered doctrine.
IX. THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. ( Romans 1:18-11:36)
In Romans Chapter 1 Verse 18 through to the end of Chapter 11 (there are 16 Chapters in Romans), but Chapter 1 Verse 18 through the end of Chapter 11 is the doctrinal section, specifically to present the doctrine of the Christian faith.
Indictment - The Doctrine of Condemnation ( Romans 1:18 - 3:20). The first part is indictment. It is the doctrine of condemnation. I'm sure we all love to study about that! "Come and let me show you how condemned you are!" Isn't that nice!
And that's divided up into three sections:
Romans 1:18-32 - The Prosecution Against the Gentiles
Romans 2:1-3:8 - The Prosecution Against the Jews
Romans 3:9-20 - The Prosecution Against all Mankind
The prosecution against the Gentiles. It is a fascinating study. You and I are Gentiles. Most Gentiles have not had exposure to the Old Testament or Judaism or Jewish ministry or teaching at all. We're kind of like the "Heinz 57" variety. We all come from different religious system backgrounds, and we are the Gentiles.
As you imply, we are not "salesmen for Christ". The task of the True Believer is to be a witness for the True Gospel in our life and in the Gospel that we proclaim.
But it must be the True Gospel as circumscribed by the Bible Alone and in its Entirety. It must be the Whole Counsel of God. And that starts with the fact that by nature we are sinners under the Judgment of God for every sin that we have or will ever commit as God describes us in
Romans 3:10-18 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
And so we are under the Wrath of God for our sins, Eternal Death. But God has provided a way of escape by paying the full penalty required for the sins of those whom He has chosen to save. So we can come to God like the Publican in Luke 18:13, striped of any self righteousness, pleading for Mercy with a broken and contrite heart. There is then the very real hope that God might save us.
Joel 2:12-14 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God.
We, by nature, do not want this kind of a Gospel. God saves us by His Grace Alone. We are not in control.
Greetings Scotty, Romans 1:16 is Paul announcing he is ready to proclaim what Jesus wanted Paul to relay to us.
At that time is "the transition" to include all us gentiles = of all nations was in play.
Romans = doctrine
As Paul progresses in order in his gospels with doctrine Reproof & correction mixed in..
Note: We are truly justified in Romans 3:24-26 equals Gods free gift!
(Please also note Ro. Chapters 9/10/11 where Paul is speaking to his brethren/ Israelites/ at that present time beseeching them & only them to perform Ro. 10:9 as we know praying is a work & how the Jews at that present time in their life THEY would be accepted by The Lord. Some of that (rightly dividing of course) is for both!
Scotty as you read God inserts into the reader his understanding bc God knows who is serious & who is not. God knows the beginning to the end and the end to the beginning!
Knowing that God is a God of order & the simplicity in Christ Jesus!
Jesus tells us to follow Apostle Paul & His "establishment commandment." Romans 16:26 Thus, we read daily starting in Romans & when we are done for that day take a tassel & mark that ( where we will begin to read the next day) & do our daily business
Later, we read again in Genesis & when done tassel that page. So, each day we continue this (and will read Ro to Rev.) many times more as we progress through the scriptures of the prophets
Then when we completed Acts, "Proclaiming God wins and the devil loses"! Restarting the same process again
That's Gods Establishment Commandment!
Also, Romans through Revelation guides us in what's going on these days. Example Romans 1:27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Hey brother just one last thing to consider.
Daniel 9:24-27, in this prophecy, there are seventy weeks or 490 years determined unto Daniel's people and the holy city to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Have these 6 things been fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah, and the judgment of it carried out in 70 AD? If so, all of this prophecy has been fulfilled in the past.
1 To finish the transgression. To break or violate, as a law, civil or moral; the act of transgressing. Psalms 32:1 Isaiah 53:5-11 Romans 4:14-15 Galatians 3:18-19 Hebrews 9:14-15.
2 To make an end to sins. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Matthew 1:21 Hebrews 10:8-11 John 1:29 1 Corinthians 15:3 1 John 3:5 Psalm 32:1 Romans 3:21-26 Romans 8:3.
3 To make reconciliation for iniquity. Reconciliation is an element of salvation that refers to the results of the atonement. Colossians 1:20-22 Isaiah 53:6 Isaiah 53:11 Romans 5:11 Ephesians 2:16 Titus 2:14 2 Corinthians 5:18-19.
4 To bring in everlasting righteousness. In conformity to the demands of the covenant and according to God's will. Isaiah 61:10-11 Romans 3:21-26 Romans 5:17-21 2 Corinthians 5:21 1 Peter 2:24.
5 To seal up the vision and prophecy. The greatest prediction, which runs like a golden thread through the whole contents of the Old Testament, is that regarding the coming and work of the Messiah, Jesus. Daniel 9:23 Matthew 11:11-15 Mark 1:14-15 John 5:36-40 John 6:27 Acts 3:18.
6 To anoint the most holy. The high priest went into the holy of holies once a year with the blood of a sacrificed bull. Jesus our high priest with His own blood anointed the most holy not made with hands once and for all, forever. Hebrews 9:6-14.
Jesus said it in John 19:28-30.
God bless,
RLW
It seems you are struggling with the fruit of salvation.
This is an area we all struggle with to some degree.
However if you are a born again believer and truly "TRUSTING IN THE WORK OF CHRIST AND HIS SACRIFICIAL WORK ON THE CROSS" those wages has been paid in full.
Sin brought on death.
That's why we are to be born Again by the working of the Holyspirit. This is more precisely "Born from above"
Now we have Christ spirit working in us.
John 16:8 says the Holyspirit will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
He will reprove it or show it to be wrong.
No amount of preaching, pleading, or pointing of fingers will bring about the conviction of sin, unless the Holy Spirit is at work in the sinner's heart!
So God bless you Bryanna!
The most basic sin of which the world is guilty is unbelief.
Once a person responds to the Spirit's conviction and turns to faith in Christ, the other sins he practiced will be taken care of. It is the sin of unbelief "a refusal to trust in Jesus is what is primary.
Romans 6:20-22 reads,"For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed?
for the end of those things is death.
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Justification, Righteousness and Sanctification.
We have "been justified by his blood" ( Romans 5:9), and part of that justification is an imputation of His own righteousness.
Christ righteousness has been imputed over to us.
Romans 5:8-10. 2 Corinthians 5:21, and Romans 3:22
sums it up as well.
That does not mean we automatically do what is right, that will come through the process of sanctification.
See part 2.
Romans 5:12 says Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
The fact is that we are all born with Adam's sin and hence at enmity with God. Our hearts are as Jeremiah 17:9 says "desperately wicked." No one does good ( Romans 3:10-12 and in Psalms); and we are estranged from the womb ( Psalm 58:3). So the first issue is the thought that anyone is "good" which inevitably comes from comparing ourselves to another "worse" person like Hitler (unless we are that bad ourselves and we can't appeal to anyone worse; in that case we probably wouldn't want to concern ourselves with doing good deeds. Our deeds also; BTW are evil; even our best deeds as "filthy rags". ( Isaiah 64:6). This "grace Gospel" as it is known is obviously taken from Romans as a primary source but reflects many scripture verses. Or as someone once said "a hundred percent sinner needs a hundred percent savior" (can't seem to find this entire phrase quoted by anyone).
Now death; of course in the law comes in two ways; MURDER or justifiable killing whether to exact a punishment "a life for a life" (part of Deuteronomy 19:21). It also is involved with the wars and conquests of Israel with the admittedly hard verses about exterminating entire peoples including women and children in certain circumstances. The understandable aspect of this is when the descendents of the Nephilim (or angels with women producing giant hybrid offspring) were exterminated; being an aberrant being without and eternal soul perhaps the proper interpretation of Isaiah 26:14. That is a deep study; but no doubt this is easier than explaining extermination of human beings. Those nations which were conquered had common practices of child sacrifice with idol worship; therefore it could have saved the children from a worse death. Genesis 15:16 shows how God waits until iniquity is full before utter destruction.
The Word of GOD is quick,and powerful,and sharper than any twoedged sword,piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,and of the joints and marrow,and is a DISCERNER of the THOUGHTS and INTENTS of the heart-the Word is GOD-, neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight:but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we must render an account-Heb.4:12-13.
By the way,Jeremiah says:The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:who can know it?I the Lord search the heart,I try the reins,even to give every MAN according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings-Jer.17:9-10.
The Word made flesh,the Word is GOD,self-executing,He who calls Himself JESUS,He Himself said:...that which cometh out of the mouth,this defileth a man-Mt.15:11.Death and life are in the power of the tongue-Prov.18:21.
JESUS said more:Mt.15:18-19:
18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart;and they defile the man.
19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,false witness, murders,adulteries,fornications,thefts,blasphemies:
For meditation and testify:
Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
We could or can understand that everyone dies through the mouth.
Compare this deep mystery of the death with Romans 3:12-18, combined with James 3:1-12,mainly verses 5to8.
But what does the Word of GOD say?1Cor.15:26->The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.Now, now, the death is an ENEMY,
so we must fight against this ENEMY and be transformed, knowing that the sting of death is sin- Matthew 15:19;the strength of sin is the Law. Yes, transformed and be changed( Philippians 3:20-21),for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality,understand?
But thanks be to GOD, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
"R" GOD IS RIGHTEOUS
He always does what is good and right. He never deviates from being sinless. He always thinks, says, and does everything righteously from pure and holy motives. There is no shadow of "darkness" in Him as to evil. His righteousness is far above whatever righteousness man can perform because even our righteousness is tainted by sin.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" In all of history, there has never been and strictly human person who is sinless. so, there has never been a strictly human person who is able to save himself from the condemnation of sin let alone anyone else.
Because of the complete and utter fallenness of mankind, there can be no redeemer from among humanity. There is no one whose righteousness is so pure and complete to be efficacious for the removal of God's judgment upon ALL of mankind.
It takes the righteousness of God to save mankind and God determined that his righteousness would come to save mankind by His divine Son becoming a man, righteous in every way, since He is God and cannot be unrighteous, and dying as our sacrifice.
The divine Son of God was incarnated, as John says in John 1:1, 14, ad became man for our sake. As God said in the OT, it is God alone who is Savior (Is 43:1, 11; 45;21; Hos 13:4) therefore, Jesus is God who is our Savior. If He is not God, then He is not our Savior because no strictly human man can save anyone. It is God who saves, who, though God the Son, took on human flesh and nature to be the only Kinsmen Redeemer who can take a way our sin, be a perfect, worthy, and more than sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and to be able to bear the complete wrath of God for mankind for all their sins. No mere human can do that,
In Titus 2:13 Jesus is called our "Great God and Savior"
John 1:1 calls Jesus God:" the Word was God"
Whether in the "Arminian" or "Calvinistic" camps; God's sovereignty and man's inability to save himself apart from His grace is fairly universally accepted. The issue comes in as to whether mans' "free will" acts to make a decision whether to follow or not follow Christ and "accept" Him into their hearts. Both camps will hold to Romans 10:9 related to a verbal and heartfelt confession accompanying saving faith. I would contend that it is not as some like to call it "decisional regeneration" that occurs as a result of something we say; but that what we say is a reflection of God already moving one towards repentance as scripture states it is a gift of God ( 2 Tim. 2:25 and also stated in the Book of Acts). We are truly saved "apart from the law" ( Romans 3:21) by grace; but of course Paul makes it clear that we aren't granted a "license to sin" once we have escaped from the wrath of God. Nothing we can do will earn us grace; and more importantly there is no desire in unregenerate man to follow God; at best man can try to avoid the consequences of sin which of course makes us all as Judas Iscariot who betrayed Christ yet realized he had betrayed an innocent man and thus hung himself. (see 2 Corinthians 7:10). It should be obvious how essential the doctrine of grace is; as all other eligions and even Christian cults will offer a combination of faith in Christ and works as needed to be saved; or it is asceticism such as Eastern religions offer that seem to bring a utopia for someone after doing good works after a lengthy cycle of death and rebirth (reincarnation) which of course fundamentally is opposed by Hebrews 9:27. Often it is another Christ; whether presented as as sage or great prophet which is expounded that we should follow rather than the true Jesus who was the Son of God. John 8:24 makes it clear that we must believe that "I am" truly meaning that He is the Christ. ( Matt. 16:13-20). ONLY CHRIST CAN REVEAL THE TRUTH TO A MAN.
As even the apostle stated in Romans 7:10, "And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death"; could there be any Law given, whether to Abraham, Moses, & Israel, as pure & righteous as those Laws were, have given to any of them, life (i.e. the promise of eternal life)? Each one had to stand by their faith before God, the Law giving them absolutely no justification before God ( Romans 3:20).
Likewise, the Law can have no bearing on those now In Christ, for we stand by faith alone in Christ's finished Work for us & for all who would come to Him & believe on Him. Do we then remain lawless? Rather, the Law of Faith ( Romans 3:27) now stands, as it did before to those under the Old Covenant, but now this Law (of Faith) is energized in us by the Holy Spirit giving us power to live triumphantly & acceptably before God - that which the Old Law could never do & was never designed to do. Abraham wasn't accepted simply on how well he kept whatever Laws were given him, but that it was his faith that took him beyond the letter, where he obeyed God, claimed God's Promises, & looked beyond what the physical eye & mind could apprehend ( Hebrews 11:8-10).
This amazingly started on a previous post where Paul was said to not be saved or atleast "not yet"
Paul said he was saved. If he didn't make it we're in trouble!
Paul said he was a master builder, and he helped lay the foundation which we are to build on.
Paul said a crown was laid up in heaven for him. 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
We have faults in our walk down here on earth tho we thrive for perfection.
Our thriving is evident we are not perfect. Another way we know we're not is that we die.
God requirements is perfection. If you ever sinned it's already to late if you feel you can come from under the atonement of the LORD.
We're left "Naked" without "CHRIST RIGHTEOUSNESS"
The Idea that you and I can be wrong about any matter suggests that we are not perfect.
How could this same corrupted person that struggle "WITHIN" judge anything to correct it to a degree he or she cannot reach? ( God's Holiness that we cannot fully comprehend)
Ignorance is no excuse!!
Only given an earnest of the Spirit can we fully comprehend the Holiness of God? No!
Romans 3:23-25 is where we stand.
God bless.
Part 7. J Vernon Mcgee. (Paul and James View Works)
When it comes to the word works, surely Paul and James must mean the same thing, do they not? No, they absolutely do not. When Paul speaks of works, he speaks of the works of the Law. I wonder if you have ever noticed that? Will you listen to him,
Therefore, by the deeds [or works] of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. ( Romans 3:20)
So, it is clear that when Paul is talking about works, he is talking about the works of the Law. Then turn to Galatians 2:16 where we read, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Here again Paul is talking about the works of the Law.
But James talks about the works of faith. Could he be any more explicit than when he says,
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith [not the works of the Law, but that which faith produces] without works is dead? ( James 2:20)
Therefore, if man's faith does not produce works, that man's faith is dead. Here we find that the two men have two extremely different sources of works in mind. James, that of faith; Paul, that of the Law.
Paul and James Use Abraham to Illustrate.
At this point, let's bring the teaching of these two men to bear upon the life of God's great servant, Abraham, in the question of justification, for we find both Paul and James using Abraham as an example. This is of keen interest as we see that Paul lets us look at Abraham when God made His first appearance to him, and James goes to the end of his life when God made His seventh and last appearance to Abraham. Paul goes back to the birth of Isaac and the time when God called Abraham - at which time this man had no works and had very feeble faith, but nonetheless a faith sufficient to move out with God. And when he moved out with God, he was justified by faith.-
Justification.
Sanctification.
Glorification.
If you are a Christian, you are guaranteed all three steps (see Romans 8:29-30).
You are forever justified, you are being sanctified, and you will for sure be glorified.
1 Corinthians 6:11.
All three of these things are from God's grace, not because of anything you have done or will do to earn them. see Ephesians 2:8-9.
You cannot earn your justification, you cannot achieve your sanctification, and you cannot merit your glorification.
You can do nothing without Christ.
John 15:4-5.
Romans 3:10-24.
God bless and Good night.
Part 2
God made Jesus Lord, Acts 2:36, made is thee Greek word ginomai that means to come into being, to happen, to become. This was foreordained before the foundation of the world and this Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world, 1 Peter 1:19-20 Revelation 13:8, foreordained the Greek word proginosko means to know beforehand to appoint or decree beforehand.
I see too many Scriptures that do not agree with the doctrine. I hope this makes sense. This is Scripture without man's knowledge or wisdom 1 Corinthians 1:22 Jeremiah 10:10 10 Malachi 2:10 Mark 12:32
Paul wrote these; Romans 3:30 Romans 15:6 1 Corinthians 8:6 2 Corinthians 1:3 2 Corinthians 11:31 Ephesians 1:3 Ephesians 1:17 Ephesians 3:14 Ephesians 4:6 Colossians 1:3 1 Timothy 2:5
Peter wrote this; 1 Peter 1:3
These are Jesus's words Himself; Matthew 27:46 Same in Mark 15:34 John 14:28 John 17:3 John 20:17 Revelation 3:12
What this says to me, there is only one true God who is the God and Father of Jesus,
These Scriptures are clear without our wisdom or knowledge do not agree with the doctrine of the Trinity. I do thank you and again I hope you do not consider me a Gnostic that would be sad, they are more of a philosophical like the immortal soul came from Greek philosophy, I am believer and follower of Jesus our Lord and savior.
God bless,
RLW
Part 1
Thank you and I do not mind, I just sent this to S Spencer, I once believed Jesus preexisted but some things just did not feel right, 2 Cor. 11:3-4 stood out. I will do my best to give my understanding starting with Rev. 3:14. The beginning of the creation of God. God has no beginning or end, I understand this as God's plan for all creation began with Jesus, God's Son and all creation came after until all is made new, we were in this plan.
God declared the end from the beginning, Isaiah 46:10. God brought forth Jesus from His plan in the fullness of time, and Jesus's physical existence began with the miraculous virgin birth of our Lord from heaven, Ephesians 1:10 1 Corinthians 15:47. How this virgin conception was done by the Holy Ghost I have no clue; Jesus is the begotten Son of God if anything is begotten it has a beginning.
Jesus was the second man who came into this world without sin, Man had to live a perfect life to fulfill the law that was placed on man to make it void, Romans 3:19-20. Jesus as a man did this and paid the price that through Him is the only way to our Father John 14:6. My understanding of Jesus being the first in God's creation and everything came by Him and for Him and through Him and when Jesus completed what purpose His Father sent Him to do Jesus became heir of all that God created after Him, Hebrews 1:2. I will do my best to give my understanding although we may not agree we can see and study the other side.
See part 2.
God bless,
RLW
And thank you for those very good questions.
I have tried to address some aspects of those questions in my earlier comments regarding the Nature of Salvation and what it means to be "Saved", although inadequately I'm sure. Any truth that we may have come to understand from Scripture is only by God's Mercy as He may choose to open our understanding.
I will attempt to further address your questions in more detail, which may take several post and time. Ultimately, what I say is worth nothing. Only what God declares in His Word, the Bible, the Entire Bible, is important as we seek to "compare scripture with scripture" in order to come to Truth.
The starting point must be our condition, apart from God's Mercy in Salvation, which God summarize in Romans 3 in language that we don't like to hear:
Romans 3:10-18 As it is written, There is NONE righteous, no, NOT ONE: There is NONE that understandeth, there is NONE that seeketh after God. They are ALL gone out of the way, they are TOGETHER become unprofitable; there is NONE that doeth good, no, NOT ONE. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Emphatic and all inclusive! This condition applies to each and every one of us throughout time once Adam sinned. And because of Adam's sin, God has delivered all of mankind (as all of mankind was in the loins of Adam) and the Creation itself under Bondage to Sin and Satan.
We are Spiritually DEAD, body and soul, and are under the sentence of DEATH, body and soul, required by the Law of God for each and every sin, every violation of the Law of God, that we commit each and every day of our life.
And we CANNOT escape. Is there no hope?
More to follow.
Or perhaps that God, before the foundation of the world, knew that you would be wise enough to accept a salvation that God offers and therefore chose you to become saved.
That is not what I read in the Bible concerning the nature of mankind that is DEAD in trespasses and sin and in BONDAGE to sin and Satan.
Nor is it what God declares regarding the nature of Salvation itself.
You are describing a salvation of grace + works. It is a do-it-yourself salvation program. Where Christ has done His part and now it's up to you to appropriate that salvation. That is a salvation plan that to one degree or another is taught in virtually every church of our day and is not the Salvation of the Bible.
Romans 3:10-18
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Salvation is all of grace. And is 100% the work of God. If we have become Saved, Our FAITH Our BELIEF Our OBEDIENCE is the RESULT of God having applied His Salvation to our life. It is in no way whatsoever the REASON nor the CAUSE of our Salvation.
All means all not just one or two things in your life. Jesus never died for one sin or two things he died so all sin can be washed forgiven and forgotten.
Get out of get into verse 9 to confess your sin. If you want to be in verse 8 be my guess, you are going to roast, you are going to burn. Verse 9 tells me he is just and able to forgive all sin and NOT just not one or two things.
1st John 1:9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
[10] If we say that we have not sinn((ed)), we make him a liar, and his word is not in us
According to the bible in 1st John 1:6, you are the liar as you claim salvation, you claim fellowship to be a brother of Jesus Christ, and yet you are still walking like the devil hand in hand with him. Obviously, you were told a lie believing you are walking with Jesus when in reality you are walking with the devil in sin.
1st John 1:6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness,((sin)) we lie, and do not the truth:
[7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
We are to be dead unto sin once Romans 6:10-12. Jesus died unto sin once and not over and over to sin and repent as you are calling Jesus a liar and putting him to an open shame. No sinner can make heaven no matter how you slice it as all sin is of the devil.
Romans 3:24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
[25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of -->sins that are past, being now
".. because they compassions fail not; They are new every morning: Great is Thy faithfulness." So, so thankful!
For "G" I think that God is GOOD:
Only God is truly good, without any lack of goodness, nor does He have any evil in Him. He is perfectly, eternally good. There is no one truly good beside Him as Jesus said in Mark 10:18.
Romans 3:12 says that there is no one who does good, all of us have sinned and fall short of the good that is who God is. His goodness is the mark that we fall short of.
In Genesis 1 we see that all that God created was good. It was truly good, but not perfected as He is perfect. Satan and mankind were able to sin, but God had this in mind when He made the Everlasting Covenant within the Godhead before creation. His aim in creating was to perfect a people for Himself in eternity for all eternity so that, with the angels, we will forever do His will, love one another, worship God in the way He deserves, and sing of His goodness forever.
2Chr. 7:3 says that God is good; His love endures forever. How comforting it is to know that God will never do to us what is wrong! see Ps. 119:68-the Lord is good and all that He does is good. Ps. 145:9 says that the LORD is good to ALL!
Ps. 100:5 attests that the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures through ALL generations.
So knowing that God is truly Good all the time, we, who have been made sons and daughter of God by the Holy Spirit through the work of His Son, ought to seek what is good and hate what is evil. We should avoid company that would lead us into sin, situations that will tempt us to do evil. We should live as one who has been set free of the slavery of our sinful nature and live for God, being slaves to righteousness. We cannot earn our way to God with good deeds, but we are to live as He wants us to, and that is to do what is good and righteous, godly and God-honoring. We should despise our sins and flee evil, resisting Satan.
You're changing the narrative to strengthen your point.
You said,
Just because you strive for righteousness and strive to walk in Jesus's example does not mean you're trying to earn heaven.
We agree on striving for righteousness and strive to walk in Jesus's example! When did you get that?
You also said, "You think the 10 commandments apply- obviously the argument that since Jesus it's ok to do "whatever" is a weak argument"
I've never heard anyone say that on this site, in fact for years we've made it very very clear that the commandments was Holy and they were to show man he is a sinner.
The emphasis has always been on man and his inability to keep the commandments and man's fallen sinful nature.
Is man sinful? Yes!
Has all sinned? Yes!
Romans 3:10
1 John 1:8-10.
Can the commandments make him right with God? No! Galatians 2:21.
It has never been anything close to an argument whether killing, stealing, adultery, ect was a sin or not on this site, and you know that.
There's plenty sins we make that is not listed in the 10 commandments, We sin in our mind and heart, Lack of patience and trust in God is a sin.
You can sin doing the right thing because you didn't want to. Our rebellious nature is sinful.
The Power of Christ resurrection didn't just atone for your sins, it also quickened you to live a live a productive life in Christ, pleasing to God. Romans 8:9-13.
And even with this power and energy from the Holyspirit you can't come from underneath the blood of Christ.
Scripture teaches if a man continues in sin he's not saved. You call that a straw man's argument. But I'm sure you will admit that all have sinned.
You've said no one knows whether they are saved or not until the judgment, But if we're saved by keeping the law it should be clear to you that we're all condemned considering the strictness of the law, then how do God judge his people? He'd have to compromise if Galatians 2:16 isn't true.
God bless.
The Ten Commandments are ten laws in the Bible that God gave to the nation of Israel after the exodus from Egypt.
They are essentially a summary of the 613 commandments contained in the Old Testament Law.
The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God. The last six commandments deal with our relationships with one another.
Many people mistakenly look at the Ten Commandments as a set of rules that, if followed, will guarantee entrance into heaven after death.
In contrast, the purpose of the Ten Commandments is to force people to realize that they cannot perfectly obey the Law ( Romans 7:7-11), and are therefore in need of God's mercy and grace.
No one can perfectly obey the Ten Commandments ( Ecclesiastes 7:20.
The Ten Commandments demonstrate that we have all sinned ( Romans 3:23) and are therefore in need of God's mercy and grace, available only through faith in Jesus Christ.
Tdianne, All of God Commandments are holy and any STRENGTH you have to keep them comes after you have been saved.
If you have ever ONCE broken any one of these commandments you've already fallen short of God's requirements and in need of God's mercy through trusting in the one whom God has sent to take away the sins of the whole world. Jesus!
So, should you be baptized? Yes, if you ARE saved but not to get saved.
You are saved by trusting and believing in Christ and his finish work on the cross.
Everything else is obedience to him after you are saved, because he wills you and Lords over your life with a regenerated heart of flesh which causes you to love God's statutes and yet convicts you of sin so we will fully appreciate the grace of Christ.
I hope this helps.
God bless.
and removing the stoney heart
Hi David0921. Just to touch on some of the points in your recent several comments.
Referring to Romans 3: Yes, it is a chapter of mankind's sinful condition, hence it was not written TO ALL mankind, but ABOUT ALL mankind. So, if all mankind lies in sin, how does God seek to remedy that disease? We know that it can only be through Christ, but where we differ is that you believe that Christ's Blood availed for those OT sinners while they were still alive. My belief: that Christ's Blood availed for them & us, ONLY after the payment for sin was completed.
Hades. 1 Corinthians 15:55 only speaks about 'death & the grave'. Looking at the Greek, for both those words, 'thanatos' is given & not Hades. So 'death & the grave' are understood as only that: 'death as confined to the grave'; no Hades here, a word which refers to an actual hell of spiritual confinement.
Then to the passages I shared, to which you wrote that 'none of them support OT believers going to a place called Hades at death'. For sure, most of those references just spoke about a very real place called Hades, to which I was drawing your attention to the fact that there is a name Hades. But when Jesus spoke of Abraham & Lazarus also being there, this is where "we (must) compare scripture with scripture using the principles that God lays down in His Word" (your quote). If we then disregard Luke 16:19-31 in its entirety, then we do great disservice to God's Word & our understanding of (for example, Hades) then becomes skewed. Onto Page 2.
Christ was the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Rev 13:8
Hebrews 4:2,3 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Romans 3:10,11 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Romans 3:10,11 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
These verses apply to ALL MANKIND. whether they lived in Old Testament or New Testament times. And for God to forgive any sin of any kind at any time is for that sin to have been paid for. And all of the sacrifices of the Old Testament could never pay the penalty demanded by the Law of God for any sin of any kind at any time.
Forgiveness of sin has everything to do with Salvation itself. Any Old Testament Believer was "saved" just like any New Testament Believer. That is, Christ must have "paid for their sins" and that Salvation must have been applied to them by making them Born Again. And that is ALL the work of God Alone, Grace Alone.
John 3:3,4 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? John 3:9,10 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Nicodemus was an "Old Testament" Jew under the Ceremonial Laws.
So again, Salvation, the forgiveness of sin, any sin of any kind in any time can only be forgiven if we have become Born Again by God's Grace Alone.
The keeping of the Ceremonial Laws, the keeping of any Law of God could never "save" anyone or forgive any sin at any time in history. Abel's sacrifice did not forgive his sins, did not save him. Abel's sacrifice was acceptable to God because God had "saved" him. Cain's offering was not because Gid had not saved him.
Hello Kstott. When the Bible speaks of blood, whether of animals or man, it denotes the miracle of life given us by God; "for the life of the flesh is in the blood" ( Leviticus 17:11). As all mankind are born with sinful flesh, with a propensity to sin & violate the holy requirements of God ( Romans 3:23), God being both loving & just, is compelled to either condemn us or forgive us. To condemn would be simple, as we fully deserve the penalty of our sins ( Romans 6:23), but God reached out to us in our miserable hopeless state & provided a way of hope, healing & restoration.
To His people Israel of old, God instituted the sacrificial system where the high priest would offer the blood of animals to atone for their sins & reconcile them to God ( Leviticus 8:15; Exodus 30:10). It was a case of the people either dying in their sins or that a substitute was provided on their behalf so their lives were spared. At this time, animals were sacrificed & their blood shed (i.e. their life given), & this was accepted by God to forgive them. But this was done yearly, because the blood offering of animals could never be permanent as this was man's offering to God, to stay God's Hand from them. But God had planned a future day, when He Himself would offer His Sacrifice to fully atone & redeem His people - & this Sacrifice would be made available to both Jew & Gentile. And this Sacrifice was God Himself, in sending His Word to become man ( John 1:1-14) & giving His Life as the only Pure & Perfect Sacrifice that would be fully acceptable to Him.
The simplicity in Christ Jesus
Gods free gift & get in the book of life!
Romans 3:24-26 & follow Apostle Paul
Period
Revelation 20:11-11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
I experienced the Holy Spirt immediately present in me.
I didn't find it in Romans 10:9 bc later found that that was for the Jews back in the transitional period where Apostle Paul is beseeching his brethren!
I didn't find it in 1 Corinthians 15 either bc later found out that was a gospel of Reproof!
But the Holy Spirit entered in after reading Through Romans & at Romans 3:24/25/26 Gods free gift to all AMEN!
Many seriously believe that they are saved but it's all like Pinterest fluffiness.
SO You need to protect your souls I seriously ask you to join the Firstborn school & fellowship absolutely FREE, to escape what is ahead! 2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
The mark of the beast will devour many!
And I can say I will meet those who take eternity seriously find out how to get in the book of life!
Revelation 20:11-11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
At the end of Romans Chapter 1, it tells us that every Gentile is without excuse and how God ministers to Gentiles through creation. It is a fascinating study.
Also (secondly), we have the prosecution against the Jews. In Chapter 2 Verse 1 through Chapter 3 Verse 8, the Jews didn't think they were guilty of anything. They preached the law to the Gentiles. Boy, are they upset with Paul when Paul says that it doesn't make any difference whether you are Jew or Gentile because it applies to you too. The Jews didn't believe that.
And then thirdly in Chapter 3 Verse 9 to 20, we have the prosecution against all mankind or humankind. This is the universal judgment against the world.
You see, before Paul could tell us about salvation and righteousness, and justification and forgiveness of sins, he has to present the case from God's courtroom as to how and why we are guilty, how we are sinners, and we have sinned against God.
That's not a religious standard. That's a judicial presentation from God's courtroom as to what sin is to God, and how He views us and how we are guilty. By the time you get through with that, you are going to say "Okay, I got the point!"
But then after the indictment, we study about the imputation, the doctrine of justification. Justification means to be lined up with the law correctly, to fulfill the requirements of the law. I'm guilty! How do I pay the penalty? Imputation means to credit your account. It's not given to you. It is credited to your account.
Imputation - The Doctrine of Justification ( Romans 3:21-5:21)
Romans 3:21-31 - The Presentation of Justification
Romans 4 - The Principles of Justification
Romans 5 - The Privileges of Justification
Romans 3:21 to 31 is the presentation of justification.
VIII. SECTION OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF ROMANS:
INTRODUCTION: ( Romans 1:1-17)
The first part of the book is the doctrine of the Christian faith, which is Romans Chapter 1 Verse 18 through Chapter 11 Verse 36. The introduction is the first 17 verses.
And that introduction is divided into three parts:
Romans 1:1-7 - Paul's Position in Ministry
Romans 1:8-15 - Paul's Plan for Ministry
Romans 1:16-17 - Paul's Perception of Ministry.
Now believe it or not, embedded, and I emphasize the word embedded, but in these 17 verses are three important doctrines. They are the doctrine of Jesus Christ, the doctrine of ministry, and the doctrine of the gospel. These are all found in these first 17 verses. In fact, every verse, even the introduction can be considered doctrine.
IX. THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. ( Romans 1:18-11:36)
In Romans Chapter 1 Verse 18 through to the end of Chapter 11 (there are 16 Chapters in Romans), but Chapter 1 Verse 18 through the end of Chapter 11 is the doctrinal section, specifically to present the doctrine of the Christian faith.
Indictment - The Doctrine of Condemnation ( Romans 1:18 - 3:20). The first part is indictment. It is the doctrine of condemnation. I'm sure we all love to study about that! "Come and let me show you how condemned you are!" Isn't that nice!
And that's divided up into three sections:
Romans 1:18-32 - The Prosecution Against the Gentiles
Romans 2:1-3:8 - The Prosecution Against the Jews
Romans 3:9-20 - The Prosecution Against all Mankind
The prosecution against the Gentiles. It is a fascinating study. You and I are Gentiles. Most Gentiles have not had exposure to the Old Testament or Judaism or Jewish ministry or teaching at all. We're kind of like the "Heinz 57" variety. We all come from different religious system backgrounds, and we are the Gentiles.
As you imply, we are not "salesmen for Christ". The task of the True Believer is to be a witness for the True Gospel in our life and in the Gospel that we proclaim.
But it must be the True Gospel as circumscribed by the Bible Alone and in its Entirety. It must be the Whole Counsel of God. And that starts with the fact that by nature we are sinners under the Judgment of God for every sin that we have or will ever commit as God describes us in
Romans 3:10-18 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
And so we are under the Wrath of God for our sins, Eternal Death. But God has provided a way of escape by paying the full penalty required for the sins of those whom He has chosen to save. So we can come to God like the Publican in Luke 18:13, striped of any self righteousness, pleading for Mercy with a broken and contrite heart. There is then the very real hope that God might save us.
Joel 2:12-14 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God.
We, by nature, do not want this kind of a Gospel. God saves us by His Grace Alone. We are not in control.
At that time is "the transition" to include all us gentiles = of all nations was in play.
Romans = doctrine
As Paul progresses in order in his gospels with doctrine Reproof & correction mixed in..
Note: We are truly justified in Romans 3:24-26 equals Gods free gift!
(Please also note Ro. Chapters 9/10/11 where Paul is speaking to his brethren/ Israelites/ at that present time beseeching them & only them to perform Ro. 10:9 as we know praying is a work & how the Jews at that present time in their life THEY would be accepted by The Lord. Some of that (rightly dividing of course) is for both!
Scotty as you read God inserts into the reader his understanding bc God knows who is serious & who is not. God knows the beginning to the end and the end to the beginning!
Knowing that God is a God of order & the simplicity in Christ Jesus!
Jesus tells us to follow Apostle Paul & His "establishment commandment." Romans 16:26 Thus, we read daily starting in Romans & when we are done for that day take a tassel & mark that ( where we will begin to read the next day) & do our daily business
Later, we read again in Genesis & when done tassel that page. So, each day we continue this (and will read Ro to Rev.) many times more as we progress through the scriptures of the prophets
Then when we completed Acts, "Proclaiming God wins and the devil loses"! Restarting the same process again
That's Gods Establishment Commandment!
Also, Romans through Revelation guides us in what's going on these days. Example Romans 1:27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Thus read Ecclesiastes 1:9