King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Friday, December 08, 2023
Chapters: ROMANS 1-4
Message: The Law of Faith
Hello My Friend,
As born again Christians, whenever you talk to someone about Jesus you get one of three responses; “I know Jesus as my Saviour.”, “I want to know Jesus as my Saviour.”, or “Don’t bother me about Jesus.” There is another response though that we need to be concerned about and that is, “I go to such and such church.” or “I am a such and such religion.” Of course, I am paraphrasing, but people are members of churches or religions that are very good at professing Christ, but are not so good at is professing the Gospel. There are many churches that will not let you even talk to them about Jesus or people so loyal to their religion that they will cut you off immediately. This is exactly why Jesus has told so many that have faced Him by now and will face Him that He never knew them, [Luke 13:27-28 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.]
Did you ever wonder exactly what iniquity is? Iniquity is injustice, unrighteousness, or wickedness that not only is sinful, it is downright deliberate and malicious. Now, I do not know about you, but we all have some evil in us and I guarantee you that there have been times when we have done something deliberately, saved or not. This is why salvation never could be bought with works, religion, or goods. The Book of Romans is the sixth book of the New Testament, forty-fifth book of the Bible, and contains sixteen chapters. The author of the book is Paul and it was written to the believers in Rome. The purpose of the book, also known as Romans road, was to show that salvation is given by grace through faith to all believers of Christ and not by any law or earthly lineage. What we learn from the book is that justification is by faith alone without works, and is the righteousness of Christ imputed to the believer that gives them an eternal security, [Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.]
Paul, wrote this letter to the Romans while he was in Corinth, he heard about their faith in the Gospel, but they were intermixing salvation by grace through their faith in the Gospel with the Law of Moses, which was creating a false gospel. Paul, sets the record straight first by reminding them that the Gospel was written in the Scriptures well before it came to pass and all who believe it are saved by grace.
[Romans 1:1-8 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.]
[separated unto the gospel of God,] The Gospel of Christ itself is what separates saved, born again Christians from any religion or other belief. It declares that we know the Son of God with power whom was raised from the dead three days after His sinless death. Jesus, dying on the cross for us was all that was needed to redeem the souls of those who believe in Him from hell, and for us to reconcile with God, but He took it a step further by defeating death all together when He arose, [Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;]
[that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.] We should be able to go anywhere around the world and Christ be seen in us. The world may not know that it is Christ who is inside us, but that is how we reach them by telling them who this person is that lives inside us. We who live our lives through Christ are not ashamed to share our testimony because it is the Holy Spirit who leads us to speak about Him.
[Romans 1:13-17 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.]
[both to the wise, and to the unwise.] We are sent out into the world to reach both the wise and unwise with the Gospel. Our greatest asset in reaching the lost is our testimony as we live by the same faith that we preach. It is the unwise who will often reject the Gospel and not for the reasons we might think, they simply do not want Christ in their lives because He will change their lives. Every person born is given the knowledge that God does exist, but as time goes by and sin becomes more acceptable their heart turns on Him.
[Romans 1:20-24 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:]
[Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness] If you ever wondered why men are dressing up and presenting themselves as women, this is why. And if you ever wondered why same sex marriage is legal, this is why. And if you ever wondered why abortion is legal, this is why. And if you ever wondered why the death of an animal is a felony while the death of a child is not, this is why. Paul, goes on to describe these very things that turn a heart from God.
[Romans 1:26-28 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And 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. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;]
[to do those things which are not convenient;] Doing things that were not convenient is not your average sin nature sin, something like running a red light, these are down right wicked and abominable sins. Paul, lists these sins, Romans 1:29-32 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.]
[Who knowing the judgment of God,] They may have foolish hearts and choose not to believe in and accept that God exists, but that does not mean that they do not know that He exists or that the judgment of sin is the destruction of the world. Why do you think that the world speaks of things like climate change, the apocalypse, and living on other planets? They know what is coming, and yet they are content to live the way they are living, [Hebrews 4:2 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.]
Now, as for those who are saved and born again and doing the same things as the fools, they know better and have no room to talk about what others are doing. They are just as guilty as the fools and while they will not lose their salvation if they trusted Christ as their Saviour they will still face judgment well before they see Jesus. Paul, goes on to address those who are quick to judge others sins while not dealing with their own.
[Romans 2:1-6 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:]
[But after thy hardness and impenitent heart] [Impenitent; One who does not repent; a hardened sinner.] Let me tell you, I have gotten myself caught up in sin, and while I will never condone what I did I was repentant and that was the only reason why God was so merciful to me until He was able to free me from the situation I had gotten into. God, will forgive us a hundred times a day as long as we are sincerely repentant, but saved or not, there are consequences to sin until full repentance is sought.
[Romans 2:9-15 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 For there is no respect of persons with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)]
[which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law,] When the world follows the commands of God without even knowing what they are and Christians are not, then there is a problem. A saved born again Christ living in sin is more dangerous than the reprobate because all they are doing is blaspheming God, [Romans 2:21-24 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.]
[God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you,] The majority of the time that a lost soul that knows of God does not get saved it is because they saw a Christian treat them or someone else worse than someone in the world does. We are the example for the world to seek and accept Christ, if we are not living a life that pleases God then the world will have no one to turn to, [1 Corinthians 9:14,19 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.]
The reason Paul wrote all this was because there was this division in Rome, the Jews thought the Gospel was only for them, while the Gentiles (Romans) thought the Gospel was only for them. Paul, sets the record straight, we are all sinners and need to be saved, and it does not matter if we commit one sin or a thousand, we are all under the same judgment. We are saved by grace alone and not of our works, but that does not mean that God has changed how He feels about sin. As I have said before, when we get saved and the Holy Spirit starts living inside of us we are automatically wired to start following the Law, meaning we learn to remove the things that are sinful. The Gospel does not void the Law, it perfects the Law, which Paul explains.
[Romans 3:9-13,18-20 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.]
[Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified] The Law acknowledges that we are sinners, and if we are living under the Law, that means that it does not matter what the sin, we are guilty of them all. This is why the one who told a lie and the one who murdered someone receives the same punishment. Whether they are ignorant to God and the Law (His Word), know it, or reject it, the same judgment applies, death and hell. And this is exactly why Jesus gave His sinless life for us.
[Romans 3:23-28,31 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 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, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.]
[By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.] The Law of Moses was a temporary fix to the law of faith in that those who did live by faith followed the Law. However God, has always determined that it is not what we do for Him or anyone else that shows us righteous before Him, but only by believing in what His Son did for us. Although Abraham never even saw or knew the name, Jesus, that did not stop him from believing.
[Romans 4:1-8 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.]
[God imputeth righteousness without works,] Salvation has always been granted to us by the grace of God because He knows that even at our best, we still fall short. This is not to say that we would not benefit by following the Law in regards to living our lives to please God, [Titus 3:8-9 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. 9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.]
Jesus, through His sinless death, burial, and resurrection, brought up under the Law Himself, broke the need to follow the Law with His blood. Now, all who believe in and receive Him as their Saviour are automatically redeemed, set free from the Law, and justified of every sin, so that both the liar and the murderer receive the same grace.
[Romans 4:11-15 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.]
[For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void,] Human comprehension never understands how someone so evil can receive eternal life and someone so good can end up in hell, but again salvation has never been about works, it us all about faith. Paul explains this using Abraham as an example, and how he was justified by his faith.
[Romans 4:17-25 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.]
[And being fully persuaded that…he was able also to perform.] [Impute; To charge; to attribute; to set to the account of.] God has determined that it is not what we do for Him or anyone else that shows us just before Him, it is our faith in His promises, and naturally, if we love God and want Him in our lives, then we are subconsciously going to obey His commands, [Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.]
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, You deserve all the glory, honor, and power for redeeming my soul when I received You as my Saviour, for my salvation was only made possible by mu believing in Your sinless death, burial, and resurrection. While we were still powerless and dead in our sins, You died for us. You demonstrated Your love for us, in that while we were sinners, You died for us. Now, we are seen as righteous before You and justified from our sin through Your sacrifice. Your wondrous love is truly amazing and the only way that we can truly be grateful is to live our lives to give glory to You. Today, I am just by my faith, and am not ashamed to proclaim You as mine, and definitely not too proud to admit that I am who I am today because of You, I am no good in my flesh, but through You I am complete, perfect, and justified. I pray this in You name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/ready-to-follow-jesus/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Read Previous Devotions: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Read The Bible: http://kingjamesbible.imfollowingjesus.com/
Visit I’m Following Jesus: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
Like I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2023 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.