Category: 保罗书信

Believers could disagree on nonensentials and still maintain Church unity

St. Augustine:”In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity”

We must welcome or receive whom the Lord received. (v1,v3,15:7)

• All Christians where bought by the precious blood of the Lord
• When we accept our brothers and sisters, we bring praise to God (15:7)
• We are all at different spiritual maturity on our walk with the Lord, some are stronger than the other. However the more mature christians must not despise the less mature christians, the less mature christians must not judge the more mature christians (v3).

God alone judges us(12:19,v10)

• Do not judge others, because the judging will put an stumbling block to our brothers and sisters (v13). God alone judges us (12:19,v10). Instead of judging, we should make every effort to do what things that edify others (v19,15:2).
• Judgement seat (v10) – BEMA (Greek)
• Our are our Lord’s servant, not servant for each other. We are accountable directly to the Lord (v4,v12). Our judgement cannot make others stand, only God can make others stand.
• v11 is a quote from Isaiah 45:23. When Christ returns, everybody will acknowledge Jesus as Lord.

Everything that we do, we do for the Lord, because we belongs to Him (v8)

• The Lord looks into our heart, when we honor Him in our heart, He is pleased.
• We ought to give thanks to the Lord when we see Christians are honoring our Lord. (v6)

• Pay attention to how many times the Lord, or Christ is mentioned in this chapter(God:10T,Lord:9T,Christ:3T).

The right way to serve God – Give up our rights for the benefits of others (v18)

• Serving in the Kingdom of God is to obey to the Holy Spirit and live a righteous, peaceful and joyful life. (v17)
• Because of our love to brothers and sisters, our choose to willingly give up what we deserve if that distressed them or cause them to fall.(v15,v21). i.e: food, books, movies
• We do this not by our own strength, God Himself gives us endurance and encouragement (15:5)

Do not force your conviction on others (v22-v23)

• When God convicts us something is wrong, we should avoid it. Everything that does not come from faith is sin (v23)
• However, if that is not clearly forbidden by God’s word, do not force our conviction on others

 Living out Christ in society                                                       

• Authorities were created by God (v1, 1 Peters 2:13 – 15)
• Learn to live under under authority because God is ultimate authority, (v1)
• Submitting to the authorities is submitting to God.(v2)
• What occurs when God and man’s authority oppose each other?
• God’s authority always higher than man’s (Act 5:29)
• Daniel and his prayers to God (Daniel 6:13)
• Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refuse to worship idol (Dan 3:18)
•  God uses rulers for good as his servants (v4)
  • Nebuchenezzar and Cyrus
  • Rulers may still do things that displease God.
•  Disobedience to authority can lead to punishments (physical) or effect our conscience (spiritual)(v5)
  • Conscience – (1 Titus 1 : 5, 1 Cor 10:25-29)                
  • Pay taxes because it is required of everyone. (v6-7)                                         
  •  Jesus paid taxes
  • Jesus submitted to authorities.

Living out Christ in relationships

• Law (the commandments had 2 sections) 1^st part was concerning God, the 2^nd was concerning man (Luke 10:27)
• Love is fulfillment of the law (v8)
•  Loving your neighbor is a commandment summed up by the commandments of God. (v9)
•  Jesus fulfilled the law also (Matt 5:17)            

Conclusion: Live the kind of life that honors Jesus

• Now is the time to live out the life of Jesus (v11)
• The time of Christ’s return is near, are you ready? (v12)
• How should we live? (v13-14) When people look at us, they should see Jesus.

Romans 1-8 Becoming a Christian

Romans 1: Introduction

Gospel is about Jesus Christ (v3)

Jesus was prophesied in the Scriptures through the prophets(v2)

Work of the Gospel is for the Jews And for the Gentiles(v14)

Gospel is power of God to save Jews and Gentiles(v16)

God’s righteousness

God righteousness (v17,20) 

Man’s unrighteousness (Gentiles)

Suppress the truth (v18)

Worship of idols (v24)

Perversion (v26)  

Evil deeds:wickedness,evil, greed, depravity, envy,murder,strife,deceit… (v29)

Romans 2: God’s Judgment

God’s judgment has basis, man’s judgment leads to condemnation(v1-2)

God judges all, Jews and Gentiles alike(v9,v11)

Judge through Jesus Christ (v16)

Unrighteousness of the Jews

Jew’s have law, but did not obey the law(v13)  

Circumcision of the heart, not of the flesh defines real righteousness (v25-29)

Romans 3: Unrighteousness of All

Jews and Gentiles alike have all fallen short(v8-9,v23)

Law cannot save Jews, law makes us aware of sin (v20)

Justification (Principle)

Through Jesus Christ(v22, 24)

By faith (v27-31)  

Romans 4: Justification (Illustrated)  

Abraham credited as righteous because of faith(v3)

Righteousness credited to someone who believes(v5)

Circumcision came after he was credited as righteous(v9—10)

Gentiles credited with righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ(v23-25)

Romans 5: Fruits of righteousness

Past was wrath of God, after justification, peace and joy(v1-3)

Jesus died while we were sinners, not because of what we had to offer(v6-8)

Saved from God’s wrath because of Jesus’ death

Sinful nature

Sin entered through Adam, before the law(v12)

Sinful nature in us, therefore all of Adam’s descendants die(v14)

Jesus gives life, his death deals with the sinful nature(v16,18-21) 
Romans 6: Baptism: Death, Burial and Resurrection, Sanctification

Died with Christ(v3)

Buried, raised to a new life (v4)

Death: To Sin(v11), to self(v12)

Alive in Christ (v8)

Freed from Sin, slaves to righteousness(v18-23)

Romans 7: Importance of death

Death, through Christ, brings freedom from the law.(v1-6)

Law of sin

Natural law that works in us.(v21-23)

Romans 8:  Law of the Spirit

Holy spirit against the law of sin and death (v1-3)

Live according to the Spirit, heirs to God’s glory (v9 – 17)

Future Glory

Adoption as sons (v23)

Body redeemed (v23) 

With God forever(v28-39) 

Romans 9 – 12 Answering questions about Israel

Romans 9: God’s sovereignty

Natural children, descendants of Abraham (v 6)

Children of the promise, God’s real children(v8 – 10)

Election to glorify God (v11-18)

Esau and Jacob as example

Israel’s unbelief

Pursued the law, missed out on grace, stumbled when it came to Christ(v32-33)

Romans 10: Israel’s deeds 

Pursued the law, but did not see God’s righteousness. (v3)

Christ is the end of the law(v4)

Faith come from hearing the Gospel(v17)

Romans 11 : Israel’s remnant

Romans 12- 16 Living as  a Christian

Paul uses 5 witnesses to demonstrate God’s plan for the future of Israel

1. Paul (11:1)
   1. Paul from the tribe of Benjamin
   2. Paul conversion was mentioned 3 times in Acts (Ch 9,22,26)
   3. Israel will be saved like Paul – they will see Jesus, repent and believe (Zech 14:4, Acts 1:11, Rev 1:7)
   4. Zechariah 12:10-13:1 – talks about how Israel will be saved
2. Prophet Elijah (11:2-10)
   1. Elijah’s story – 1 King 19
   2. Thought he was the only faithful Jew left, God’s told him there were 7000 more (1 King 19:18).
   3. Only the remnant will be saved (Rom 9:27, Isaiah 10:22-23)
   4. saved by grace, not works (v6) just like Abraham (Rom 4:1-5). Israelites were trying to get saved works (Rom 9:30-33)
   5. the rest of the Israelites were hardened, just like Pharaoh’s (v7).
   6. v8 – eyes could not see, ears could not hear – from Isaiah 29:10 and Deu 29:4
   7. v 9 – 10 – quoted from Ps 69:22-23
      • table become a snare and a trap – blessings turn into burdens and judgement
3. Gentiles (11:11-15)
   1. Israel tragedies – they fall (v11),they loss (v12), they were rejected (v15)
   2. Because Israel failed, salvation came to Gentiles (v12, see Acts 13:46)
   3. God promised Gentiles would be saved (Rom 9:25-26), He kept His promise. God will also keep His promise to the Isralites
   4. One day Israel will experience “fullness” (v12) and “acceptance” (v15)
4. Patriarchs (11:16-24)
   • Dough (v16)
     • From Num 15:17-21
     • God accepted the founders of Israel – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in spite of their sins, God must accept the rest of the batch
   • Olive Tree
     • Olive tree is a symbol of naton of Israel (Jer 11:16-17)
     • Branches broken off – unbelieving Jews (v17)
     • wild olive shoot (Gentiles) grafted into the tree to share the life of the tree. Grafted in is not natural (v24)
     • Usually it is a cultivated branch is grafted into a wild tree
     • We gentiles must not boast (v18-21), otherwise gentiles will be cut off, and Jews will be grafted into their own alive tree (v24)
5. God (11:25-36)
   1. God’s timing
      • Israel will be saved and experience fullness (v12) when the full number of Gentiles has come in (v25)
      • “until” in NT (Matt 23:39,Luke 21:24, Ps 110:1) – in end times Israel will be saved
   2. God’s promise (v26)
      • Quoted from Isaiah 59:20-21
      • All Israel who is alive when Jesus 2^nd coming will be save
      • More on this topic pls read Isiah 60, Zechariah 12-13
   3. God’s covenant (v27-28)
      • Although Israelites are enemies of the Gospel, God will not break His covenant with their patriarchs.
   4. God’s nature
      • God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable (v29)
      • God’s unchanging nature (Mal 3:6)
      • The lack of faith of men do not change God’s faithfulness (Rom 3:3)
   5. God’s grace (v30-32)
      • God has mercy on disobedience gentiles, God will has mercy on disobedience Jews
   6. God’s wisdom (v33-36)
      • Paul quoted Isaih 40:13 and Job 41:11 to end Roman 8 with praises – He praised God for His wisdom, knowledge, judgments and mind. To God be the glory forever! Amen

• Paul quoted Isiah 52:7 and Nahum 1:15 (Rom 10:15)
  • Isiah 52:7 – Future – Return of Christ
  • Nahum 1:15 – Past – Destruction of Assyrian Empire (Nineveh)
  • Rom 10:15 – Present – Jews redemy of their rejection is in hearing the Word of the Gospel and believing in Jesus Chris
• Paul quoted Isiah 53:1 (Rom 10:16)
  • also quoted by John 12:37-41
• v14-15 is God’s calling to send out missionary to reach the unsaved – both Jews, and gentiles

The Results of their Rejection

Three results, three OT quotes

Overview:

Romans 12- 16 : (Application of Christian life)

Romans 9 – 11 : Israel as a way to answer questions raised from  Romans 1- 8

Question: Did God’s words fail?

Paul brings up issue of Jews being cut off from Christ. (v3),

But what about God’s promise to Israel: (v4), Jer 31:33

• Adoption as sons,Divine glory,Covenants,Law,Temple worship,promises

Answer: God’s words did NOT fail. (v6)

Man failed when we did not see the fullness of God’s words.

Promise vs Not of the Promise

• Isaac was a child of promise, but Ishmael and the rest of the siblings are not. (v6-7;Gen 17; Genesis 25: 1-2)
• We are not “natural children” of Abraham.
• We who believe in Christ are children of a promise also.( John 1:12, Rom 11:11-21)

God’s election ( God’s will vs. Human Will)

• God’s choice is not based on what a person does.(v11)
  • Illustrated by Jacob and Esau
    • Jacob vs Esau –
      • Esau was eldest, and should receive blessing
      • Jacob desired what Esau was willing to give away
    • God sees inside the heart of man
  • Illustrated by Christ dying on the cross
    • Christ died on the cross while we were still sinners (Rom 5:8)

• God is sovereign
  • Israel was chosen not because they were great – Deut7:7-8
  • We humans cannot complain against God (v20)
  • God’s will always superior to man’s
  • Pharaoh as an example (v17-18, Ex 9:16)
    • Pharaoh’s hardened heart showed more of God’s glory
  • God allows object of wrath to show mercy (v22-23)
    • Through sin, we see God’s power and glory manifested as he is victorious over sin.
  • God allows evil if it means that it serves his purpose (Gen 50:20)
    • God does NOT do evil, he allows evil to occur
      • Also, God intends for evil to occur, nothing is beyond his control. (Rom 8:28)

• God elected before the creation of the world. (Eph 1:4, 2:10, Jude 4)

Conclusions

• God promises us that if we believe we become his children
• God is sovereign
• God allows evil but God does not do evil
• God cannot be blamed for the failures of man (James 1:13-14)
• God made this promise before creation

• The suffering we experienced is nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed to us (v18, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
• Gen 3:17 tells us the ground was cursed because of Adam’s sin. Romans 8:19-21 further elaborates that the whole creation was under cursed. The creation has been living as slavery, suffers the pains of childbirth in this corrupted world after the fall (v21,v22)
• The creation has been waiting for the glory of the children of God to be fully revealed, when it happened, the creation will be set free (v19, v21)
• Three groaning
  • whole creation – because they are no free, living in a corrupted world (v22)
  • believers – because we still living in a body that will eventually die (v23)
  • Holy Spirit – He intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words, according to the will of God the father (v26, v27)

• When the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (v28)
• What should we do to be conformed to the image of Jesus?
  • Love God (v28)
  • Live according to the Holy Spirit (v5-v6)
• God’s eternal will is to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ, who is the firstborn among many brethren (v29), God’s eternal will is bring many sons into glory (v30)
• God’s complete plan of salvation
  • Externally, our body will be redeem (v23)
  • Internally, we will be mold into the image of Jesus (v29)
• Not only the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, Jesus also intercedes for us (v34)

• Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God (V31 – V39)
  • Notice 5 questions: (v31,v32,v33,v34,v35)
  • The answer is NO. Because we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ who loves us (v37)

• Paul has the will to do good but he could not
• The reason was because the law of sin has him under bondage
• Will is the determination/desire (inner power) of man, law is a natural power
• Law is always on, will of man is only on sometimes, eventually man get tire
• sin is not just matter of conduct, sin is a law. When we realize this, victory is not far away
• Eventually law overcomes will, will of man could never overcome law of sin
• “I” is mentioned 31 times

Chapter 8 (v1 – v17) – flesh vs. Holy Spirit

• A higher law can overcome a lower law
• The law of Spirit of live in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death (v2)
• Chapter 5:12 – 6:23: In Adam vs. in Christ (objective, position)
• Chapter 7:1 – 8:39: In the flesh vs. in the Spirit (subjective, practical experience)
• Verse 3 – 4
  • Jesus has done for us (v3) – Jesus died for us, and our old self died with Him, thus we no longer live by our flesh
  • the Holy Spirit will do for us (v4) – walk according to the Holy Spirit
    • works of flesh vs. fruit of Spirit (Gal 5:19,22)

 

Review:

Romans Chapter 6

• Baptism

• Unified with Christ, death, burial, resurrection and future glory.

• From slaves unto sin to slaves unto righteousness

• Once we obeyed the call of the sinful nature, now we obey the call of Jesus.

4 Questions asked in Romans 7 (v1, v7, v13, v 24)

Marriage to illustrate death to the Law (v1 – 3)

• Marriage is covenant that the Jews and experts at the laws are familiar with.
• Law only has power on someone who is alive.
• We who are unified in Christ has our old self died on the cross with Jesus

 

Marriage to illustrate life with Christ

• Death to the law to belong to Christ.
• One purpose of marriage is to bear good fruit

• our sinful nature bore fruits of death (v5)

• Marriage requires that we change for the better for our partner

• Once we worshiped in a fleshly, earthly way, now we are to do so in a spiritual way(v6)

The Law is good

• Law shows what is sin and can point out what is sin.
• The law was meant to give life. (v10) (Deut. 30:16)
• The law comes from God it is Holy (v12), it is spiritual (v14)
• Sin, not law, is what causes death.
• The law did not fail, our flesh, our bodies failed. (v5)
• The law does not have the power to clean someone or wash someone of sin.

 

Living in the flesh

• What the law tells us to do, we rebel against( v7-8, v21)
• When Sin lives, we die (v9)
• Flesh and spirit opposed (Gal 5:17)

 

Living in the spirit

• Answer is not a how… its a who! Jesus Christ. (v25)
• Crucified with Christ (Gal 5:24)
• Even those justified face the struggles of sin.

• Paul said of himself as unspiritual (v14)

• Church of Corinth (1 Corinthians 3:1)

• Everyone sins even Christians(1 John 1:8 – 1:10)

• Christians ideally would not habitually sin. They will repent.

• Solution is to live by the Spirit (Gal 5:16)
• Keep in step with the Spirit (Gal 5:25)

• Spirit will lead you to bear fruits (Gal 5)