Snaps

Q4. (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:18-20; Romans 7:24) What is the doctrine of "total depravity"? Put it in your own words. Does it mean that none of God's original goodness shows through? Then what does it mean? Why does modern man tend to believe that man is basically good? How does this differ from what the Bible teaches? The doctrine of total depravity describes my activities if uninhibited by the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. I have been through a period where, lacking the wisdom that is higher than the intelligence of mankind, I committed some horrible sins and stood in grave danger of taking them quite a bit further. Praise the Lord He drew me back to Himself just in time. That period He has turned to good because I now can discern where something is going (in the wrong direction) very quickly, and head it off. I still find myself with thoughts that disgust me (on second thoughts) and know that my carnal nature is still fighting for life. I'll be fighting with this during all my life on earth, but praise Jesus, He has provided the means of rising above my carnal nature in major measure. This is because my love for Him prefers to co-operate with the Holy Spirit, and my heart longs for this. He has renewed my thinking patterns, and is still continuously renewing them. I am made in the image of God, and that shows through even in unregenerate man. There will be kindnesses etc that reflect our origins as created by God. However it is always tainted by a heart that is geared to looking after itself and no-one else, and doing what it wants to do under any convenient guise. or system of rationalisation. The tainted heart is always subverting the wonderful creation of God to a lower order of existence, one that falls far short of God's intention, to one lived only on the level of the intelligent animal. Modern man sees some good in himself - the part that reflects God's image. There is not one man who wishes to think poorly of himself, and so, like Adam, he prefers to operate on that information, and not on the fact that he doesn't come up to scratch, and is performing way below the standard of what God had prepared for him. That scenario is all too much to bear, and besides, it makes demands on him that will not seem rational, and that he will find it difficult to manage - demands for heroic behaviour on a constant, unrelenting basis. He likes to "think positively" about himself and his role in society. He prefers so-called "freedom" to operate in the lazy manners suggested by satan, not realising that those very things remove his freedom, and empower the development of evil within him. The Bible teaches that "Out of the mouth come the issues of the heart", that what we say is the real indication of what we are. As it is extremely difficult for man to bridle his tongue, his heart will actually, eventually, show on the outside. If he can bridle his tongue then he's as good as made it in the control of all his body. It's the best indicator of the work of the Holy Spirit within the renewed man. God can renew a right spirit within a man who loves Him. It's the new love and mutual trust relationship that has to be developed.

Q3. (Romans 7:12; 8:3) What does the law do well? What does it do poorly? Why is the law (knowing right and wrong) powerless to save us? What is the problem here? The law delineates the base line on what is needed to create a safe society. Society will not work while there is murder, adultery, covetousness, idolatry, dishonouring of parents, of sabbath, etc. If these things are enshrined in the law of a country, that country will have sound basic functions socially, emotionally, economically, spiritually, and be a safe place to live. The law is there because without it people will become violent. It outlines what is not acceptable, and what must be answered for (punishable). It sets safe parameters for society and personal life. What the law cannot do is establish the possibilities of human potential. It is a base line, not a mark of potential for human society. We are capable of living by the law of love, which is a much higher standard than the law sets out. No-one living by the law of love will murder, commit adultery, covet, steal etc. Not only that, but they will seek opportunity to give instead of steal, encourage and build up instead of murder, rejoice in the good fortune of another rather than covet, build stable, loving, strong, emotionally sound families instead of fornications and traumatised children. No amount of law can achieve these things. They can be achieved only by those who have a vision about love, fidelity, encouragement, generousity, etc. all of which comes with the Spirit of God. the law cannot achieve the mind of Christ in us. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. The law is powerless to save us because it only states the negatives and basic premises, and doesn't create a vision of what God can do with society. Jesus came to fulfill the law (do all that it asks of us), and very much more than that, to teach us how to live in God's abundance of LIFE, how to love and sacrifice (take care of widows and orphans etc) and look after one another. The law does not create intimate relationship with God. This is what is needed for salvation from sin - a new nature and the mind of Christ. The problem with knowing right from wrong seems to be that somehow we like to push the boundaries of right and wrong. Pushing boundaries is considered adventurous, daring, funny, clever, and more than that it draws attention to whatever your are marketing, and sells. For example the pop groups attract attention by having vile names and singing songs about lawless topics. They seem to compete for lawlessness in their character, and develop a great following this way. Look at the names of some restaurants, eg hog's breath. This is vigorously defended by the human rights lobby who are so busy defending the rights of criminals that the law dare not chastise them, and society dare not point out their failures (discrimmination). Marketing goes past parents to create demanding children and teach them how to override their parents. It uses social pressure and carnal covetousness to sell product, and demands the right to sell product that violates even the law (***********, guns etc). One could give huge amounts of examples of how marketing treads on the law and yet appeals to people's carnal, rebellious instinct. Rebellion is enshrined in "human rights" thinking. It is now all about what one can get away with, not how one can benefit society at large. Knowing right from wrong is latent within every man - they all automatically know what to expect of Christians, even though they don't do it themselves. However, it doesn't carry weight as far as personal desire goes.

Q2. (Romans 7:7-8) The law reveals sin for what it is. Why wouldn't we be better off just not knowing that we should not covet, for example? Why does the flesh respond to being told "Do not covet" by coveting all the more? We are better off understanding what coveting does to our system and avoiding it like the plague because it destroys our relationships, not only with God, but with men also. We cannot build relationships - so important tro God - on covetousness and greed. God wants us building relationships with Him and with our fellow man, and we need to know what to build and what not to build.Covetousness needs to be left right out of the picture. If we didn't know we should not covet, then our relationships would all sufer. God gives us this law so that we learn the important thing is building relationship, not museums of goods. When we speak of coveting, all the things we covet come immediately to mind, reminding us of them again. When Jesus came He taught us to love our enemies and do good to those who steal from us, to be generous and to love one another, preferring one another - and preferring that they have beautiful things to enjoy, rather than self. We should rejoice for them in the things they have in order to make them comfortable. We need to direct our love away from ourselves and towards others.

Q1. (Romans 7:5) Paul uses the word "flesh" (or NIV "sinful nature") many times in chapters 7 and 8. In your own words, what does Paul mean by "flesh" in these verses? I think "flesh" means all those functions that are performed in the natural, like animals, in response to whatever messages the flesh gives. In other words it is animal nature. This may be very intelligent and even disciplined, but it doesn't tap into God's purposes for mankind. It doesn't get the big picture. It is basically self -orientated, self-serving, based in the "I wants" and comfortable zone of life.

Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? There is no place for independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ. That is a lie from the father of lies. Our desire for freedom is something the father of lies can use to direct our eyes away from the Prince of Peace who brings healing, freedom (from lies) and righteousness on His wings. The only freedom there is is freedom from lies! When we operate in the Spirit of truth we are free. Freedom to choose the lies we will live under is no freedom at all, but chains our thinking and operations to those lies. Only Truth sets us free, and Jesus is "Faithful and True" (Revelation 19:11). We long for this kind of independent freedom because we are still believing the lie that hooked Adam - "You will be like God". That is so foolish as we were made in the image of God in the first place, and while we are faithful to Him we are invested with His Name (the Name of Jesus) and dominion (authority). We have everything possible and impossible in Jesus. Without Him we are nothing but shameful dust. We hesitate to firmly take sides because we hedge our bets and want a bit of both worlds, which is an impossibility. We live in the world but are not of it. We are "heavenly men and women", and must act according to our status. We must not operate in fear but in boldness and truth, for therein is our FREEDOM.

Q4. (Romans 6:17b) How does good doctrine affect the way we live? Why should we honor good doctrine? If we shouldn't look down on doctrine itself, what kind of teaching should we be avoiding? Doctrine is the set of principles by which a group lives. We live according to the teaching within the group we have adopted. It affects the way the group operates, or the way we lead the group. It is essential that we subscribe to excellent doctrine - and we are all responsible for checking that the teaching is biblically correct. This has much to do with the unity in the group, and unity is the subject of Jesus' last prayer before he died. We need to do everything possible to align our lives with the word of God correctly, and good doctrine is the means of enabling people to do this, and therefore to live effectively and powerfully, and to affect their world for the Lord. We must avoid any teaching which twists the scripture to its own purpose and does not clearly reflect Jesus Christ Himself.

Q3. (Romans 6:15-18). What does obedience have to do with slavery? In what way does doing acts of righteousness demonstrate your slavery to God? In what ways does doing bad things demonstrate a slavery to sin? How is such a slavery or bondage broken? What part does obedience have in breaking this bondage? In what areas is God speaking to you about a fresh obedience in your life? I can be lazy and not grasp opportunity to undertake my studies, but that means I'll have to settle for menial work, and won't be able to get out of it. I'm a slave to it. However, if I pass all my exams I'll become a professional which is entree to a different lifestyle. In the same way, if I remain disobedient to God my life will take a very different path than if I remain faithful to Him and learn His ways. I make choices, and I'm the product of the choices I make. If I make the right choices I get to choose my master. If not the master will choose me - and that will be sin. The right choices are acts of righteousness, which are in line with His will, plan and purpose. If I do the right things it will be seen that I serve Jesus. I will become known as a Christian, or a servant of the Lord. People will approach me for advice on the things of God, or when love is needed. Doing wrong things shows that I have not remained faithful to Christ, but am back tied up in the old world of sin, **** and selfish desire. The old slavery is broken by a love relationship with Christ in which I desire to please Him rather than myself. He is my beloved. The scriptures show me how to please Him. Obedience plays a huge part. I have now become a member of the royal household of God and need to behave accordingly, as a representative thereof. The scriptures tell me how. If I am to have His authority, then I must adopt His style. As a junior knight learned the art of being a knight through obedience to his master, so I will learn the art of being a child of God, and warrior in His army. My need is to wait on God increasingly.

Q2. (Romans 6:13) In what ways do you "offer the members of your body" to either sin or God multiple times in a day? Why is it that we can sin unconsciously? How can we begin to offer our members deliberately to God? What changes will it take in our daily life to do this? If I want to do a Tafe course to improve my lifestyle I pay the fee and turn up at the starting time to meet the teacher and other students. If I want to follow Jesus I do those things that are needed - spend time with Him at the beginning of each day, keep tuned in during the day in prayer and fellowship with others of the same mind who can hold me accountable and encourage me in my Christian walk. In this way I become a disciple of Jesus and get the mental makeover needed to live for Him. Sin is the default mode in many ways and I have to be constantly wired in to change that. The change takes a deliberate mindset, even though the Spirit Himself changes our thinking. We have to take deliberate steps to make His pathway open. It is a co-operative effort. The changes we make include studying His Word, making our daily life consistent with scriptural teaching, watching out carefully for traps and opportunities to minister to people in the Lord's Name (true religion is caring for widows and orphans). It all has to translate into LOVE. Love is first for Jesus and then for people.

Q1. (Romans 6:12) What does obedience have to do with the "reign" of sin? In the war, in Germany, there was Hitler and there was the underground. You belonged to either one or the other. If the underground could not trust you (to behave appropriately) then you were not a member. To be a member you had to prove your trustworthy character, and were then involved in the saving work of the underground. If you were not trustworthy you had no part. You could not be a "swinging voter". So it is with sin and righteousness. One is either obedient to righteousness in an observable manner that affects your entire life or you belong to the class of sin. God is the observer. He knows exactly who He has and who He hasn't. He knows exactly where our hearts lie. We have to be determined on the path of righteousness in this war against the evil one. We cannot afford to have any truck with sin. Our weapons have to be honed and ready for battle and we have to be expert in their use. We can afford no minor allegiances to the enemy. There is no possibility of being a "swinging voter" because a man in two minds will get nothing from the Lord. (James 1:6-8 and James 4:8).

Q5. (Romans 6:11) What does it mean to "reckon, consider, count" in verse 11? Does this actually mean that we are convincing ourselves of something that isn't really true? What will be the effect in our lives if we actually do consider it to be true that we died with Christ's death with regard to sin? God has never taken away from us our control over our own lives. If He did we'd be like angels, unable to sin or make choices. He gave man dominion in this world and will not take it away. This means He operates in His own creation only by the invitation of any human being, and otherwise does not interfere in our private lives. This is why our prayer is so vital. Without it we operate in ignorance of God's plan (which He will nevertheless accomplish). Even though I am born again with all the potential that entails, it is still up to me to make the right choices and keep close to God through His Spirit. Dogs have a great sense of smell which they use to detect food. Bats have sonar. Eagles have eyes. Man has a number of physical senses through which he works. But God has given man sensitivity to His Holy Spirit, which sets him apart from all creation in terms of how he works. A Christian can make this his default mode. This is his by choice, and this is what it means by "reckon, consider, count". It is perfectly true. "Reckon, consider, count" refers to a man's decisions about how he will operate. If I have enough money I'll "reckon, consider, and count up" what car I can purchase, or what house I can afford, or what investment I might make. A Christian has the wealth of the Spirit to "reckon on", and he sure does when it comes to healing, or life-threatening situations! But we can reckon on God at every moment in our lives, on His wisdom and on (not by might, nor by power but by My) Spirit. How magnificent is that? How wonderful that Jesus, through His crucifixion and resurrection, has won Life in the Spirit for us. The effect of reckoning on Christ in our lives is incomprehensible to those who do not know Him. Everything looks different through the eyes of the Spirit of the Living God which we have access to. I believe we have the full use of our brain in the Spirit of God (science tells us we only use 5-10% of it in the physical). We have the gifts of the Spirit - tongues, prophecy, faith, hope LOVE, healing, evangelism, spiritual insight, wisdom and inspiration, not to mention an eternal home to "reckon on". This lifts our modus operandi way up above that of carnal human nature. We are not the same. We are bought with a price. Dominion has been returned to the man of God. There is no limit to our potential In Christ, but our direction and vision are completely different from that of natural (carnal) man. Effectively we are a different species! Revjarden, in the answer before mine, has the key. Life means responsiveness. Our responsiveness is directed to Christ and the Holy Spirit and we are unresponsive (dead), (by consistent choice) to the seductions of sin.

Q1. (Romans 6:3-5) In what sense does baptism bring about our union with Christ? In what sense does baptism symbolize our union with Christ? Like a tree cutting is removed from the old rootstock and grafted into a new rootstock, so we are cut off from the old rootstock of sin and grafted into the new vine of righteousness. This is the change signified by baptism. We grow the fruit that we are intended to grow, but we can only do it successfully when grafted into the right rootstock. Jesus used this example of cuttings being grafted into the new vine. Baptism signifies the removal of the old to make way for the new. The life of the old rootstock no longer has access because we are now grafted into the new. We now have the blood of Christ running through our veins (figuratively, but also in spiritual reality).

I think we have been given a new vision of what life is all about. That new vision floods out, deletes, the old ideas and replaces then with entirely new ones which gradually supercede the power of the old ones. We have now the mind of Christ operative within us, which translates into a whole new set of behaviours which grow in strength as we practice them. The old life horrifies us, and we long to distance ourselves from it and embrace all that God has put in place for us. In this way we have been freed from the slavery of the old systems, passions, programs, which have been superceded by Grace. Temptation begins more and more to horrify us and make us turn to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. It becomes the means of quickening our minds to the purity of Jesus, and increasing our desire for Him, and for His holiness. Jesus can make even temptation have the effect of cleansing the system and purifying it.

Q3. (Romans 6:1-7) Is Paul referring to a figurative "death" to sin, or to a kind of historical, actual death? Whose death is he talking about? How does this death become our own? To what degree is this just theological mumbo-jumbo or does it have some basis in reality? I am thinking he is referring to a relative death. Jesus plants the seed of LIFE in us when we accept Him. Baptism is the outward sign of that acceptance. That seed is larger than the seed of death (acceptance of a lie) accepted by Adam. The new seed is capable of overcoming all that Adam's seed set in train. More and more we shall be able to operate in the power of the new seed of LIFE if we so choose. We can never again be the same as we were before we accepted this seed, although we can cease from operating in its power. We'll be accountable for that! Paul is saying we need to operate as those who have received this new seed, in all its potential (fruits of the spirit, giftings of prophecy, tongues, teaching, evangelism and apostleship sometimes) and above all, love. This seed can over-ride the seeds of death for eternity Whose death is he talking about? It is our death to the old nature that becomes possible with the new seed of LIFE sown in us through Jesus' sacrifice at Calvary. If we nurture this seed it grows into a mighty tree of LIFE that survives into eternity. Not nurtured it can be lost again and the soul inured to LIFE. Eg Jesus said some seed falls on fertile ground, some on stony, some among weeds and some on shallow soil. When it falls on fertile ground it grows into a tree of LIFE. This death becomes our own when we choose to nurture the seed of LIFE Jesus sowed in us, making us increasingly oblivious to the effects and nature of the Adam seed of death. This is no mumbo-jumbo. It is how it works in my life. When I nurture the seeds of LIFE by Bible reading, prayer, worship etc I am a completely different person than I have been when I have neglected this.

Buried corresponds to the act of being submerged in the waters of baptism. It refers to the act of crucifying the carnal nature, the dependence on human wisdom and peer thinking, the perpetuation of unholy behaviours and focus on self. These things have nothing to do with the Christian Life. "Christ raised from the dead" corresponds to Christ being raised up in us to replace the old carnal nature. In its place the Spirit of God inspires and motivates all that we do. We give place to His love as our motivations, and to the Holy Spirit as our teacher and counsellor. We seek to have the mind of Christ. We are now to be the very hands, feet, eyes and ears of Jesus Christ walking again on this earth. We are His righteousness before the people. We are no longer our own, but bought with a price to do the works that He has prepared for us to walk in. We are a tiny part of the living organism that is the Bride of Christ, and everything we do affects the whole of the rest of the bride just as the skin, or the liver or the kidneys affect the body in which they live. We are responsible to become a healthy, functional part of that body which takes its life from the Holy Spirit of the living God, and feeds hungrily on His mighty Word.

Q1. (Romans 6:3-5) In what sense does baptism bring about our union with Christ? In what sense does baptism symbolize our union with Christ? When Jesus talks about baptism, he seems to be referring to the single purpose for which He came to earth. In His case it was to save (be crucified). He asks the disciples if they can be baptised with the baptism He is baptised with. That doesn't seem to be the one John gave him, but rather the function that God the Father requires of Him. We have a baptism to be baptised with. It is unique to God's plan for us individually. It involves sacrifice of some sort. We die to all carnality and self indulgence and arise to God's purpose. That is what baptism really means. So our unity with Jesus is a consequence of dying to our carnality and rising with Him to God's purpose for our lives. In purpose we are united, and that is the subject of His prayer before the crucifixion in John 17, that we should be one with Him and the Father. Baptism is death by overwhelm (flood). Jesus was overwhelmed by His purpose and we are also overwhelmed by God's purpose which is actually brought alive in us (God's two edged sword brings life, not death, or life out of death.) I think we have a purpose established in Heaven before we even arrived on earth, and possibly agreed to it with God before conception. That is our baptism. Physical baptism is our agreement/covenant in the matured, physical body with carnal death and with God's purpose for our lives.

Q4. (Romans 6:2-5) According to this passage, at what point do we move from being under the headship of Adam to the headship of Christ? Is there anything we must do to bring about this change in headship? What are the implications of us having died with Christ? When we take baptism, we take identity in Christ. We identify with His death and Life. We renounce our old life. It is dead to us. We live and breathe life in Jesus Christ. We do things His way now. We live for Him as a a bride lives for her groom, no longer with her family, but as one flesh with her husband, carrying his name, driving his car etc. Her husband, not her father, is now her head. So is Christ to us. We have to co-operate with this new status just as a bride co-operates with her new husband. She can't return home to mummy and daddy. Her life is brand new and has to be built from scratch. It's almost like baptism is the betrothal process and everything else leads up to the wedding! Having died with Christ means we understand His death because of our sin, and choose the same path. abhorring any sin which appears in us and turning from it to His purity and holiness, desiring Him, not our own old life. Implications may mean we dissociate with certain old friends and associates in order to more completely unite with Him and represent Him in the world. It means we depart from certain old habits that do not honour Him and acquire new ones which will expand our parameters in the new life. It means our time is spent differently, studying to understand the things He teaches, and spending time in the Spirit - His gift to us that we may become new creatures. It means our attitudes towards other people change, becoming less dependent on their approval and more dependent on His. It means we have a new concept of love, first for our King Jesus, and then for fellow men. This concept involves truth, because it is truth that sets us free.

Q3. (Romans 5:15-19) By what right does Adam represent all humankind? By what right does Christ become head of all who become his disciples? If Christ is not our "representative" or "head," how can his death for sins be effective for us? Adam, as the first physical man, set the parameters for all our activities. The shadow of sin that he introduced was inherited by us all, just as the things we do affect our children nowadays. They operate on the basis of what we have established for them to grow up in. So we operate on the basis Adam established for us, and that include rebellion. Christ becomes head because we choose to make Him our head. He will do nothing until we choose it. He has all authority as the Son of God, but He seeks fellowship with us through our own choice. It means that we must recognise who He is (when Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was, Peter said " .... The son of God" and this perception proved to be the basis on which the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to be given to any man. God has provided the free gift - His Son Jesus. We have to receive that gift. As the resurrected Son of God He has all rights in our lives. He is WONDERFUL. He is THE WAY that God has provided for us and there is no other. Unless He is the HEAD then the body will be lifeless. There will be no coordinator! Nothing will work.

There is a theory in the world that when a butterfly flaps its wings in (eg) Japan, it sets something in motion that actually affects Brazil. I think this (farfetched?) theory illustrates the point exactly. Everything that we do affects our surroundings, including the people we are in touch with, and then consequently, those who are in touch with them. If I decide today to wear no make-up, it will affect the thought patterns of someone else who notices that, and it will change their day and the pattern of ideas in their mind (eg it might inspire compassion, or disgust, or apathy ....) thus affecting their mood and behaviour patterns for the day, and the way they interact with their contacts, who then respond to them similarly until a huge groups have become involved in the chain interactions. Thus whole nations develop their characteristics, attitudes and particular peculiarities. They are a composit of their parts, each part having its ripple effect. Paul described this when he showed that we are a body, and whatever the arm does affects the rest of the body. We do not operate in isolation, but as part of the whole. If the pancreas is ill, then the function of the whole is affected. For example a mother's (or father's) attitude to family affects the function of that family totally. It affects the way the children operate and establishes their life patterns and to a very large degree their life parameters and functionality, including their relationships with people outside the family. Our attitudes to one another in church affect the whole operation there, and Jesus said, "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Everything is astutely observed and effective in the lives of others. Our speech is very powerful and deeply affects those around us, which is why it is the rudder of the ship. So when Adam introduced unbelief (sin of believing other than God) then it is a negative (poison) that has become part of the nature of mankind as a whole, and no-one can run free of it - until Jesus introduces the counterbalancing action, the anti venom. There is no circumstance where the action of a single person has no effect on others. We are all culturally involved with everyone else, and must seek to exert a positive effect by our attitudes and conduct. James 3, discussing the power of the tongue, touches the whole principle of the way we affect each other. And the tongue is only about 7% of the communication process, body language being far more effective!

Reconciliation can only happen when there has been a broken relationship, where hurt has taken place and grief has taken root. It is the restoration of relationship between two people, requiring forgiveness and the dissolution of grief. This, in the natural, is extremely difficult to achieve. A parent may achieve it with a small child, but between two adults (who should have "known better") it is an unlikely scenario without the power of God's grace. If we are to live as adopted sons of God, then this grace is necessary, that we should be reconciled and in unity with one another. The gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost changed Peter from a terrified runaway to a bold, passionate and fearless preacher of the Word in complete unity with His Father and the risen Christ. Not only have we been resurrected from the dead with Jesus, but we actually are the righteousness of God on this earth, living by the grace and direction of the Holy Spirit who seeded Jesus in Mary, and also is seeded in us through Him. We are no longer our own, but are bought with a price - slaves of righteousness. We were not so dearly purchased to go on living in sin exactly as if nothing had happened, but to represent Christ on the earth until He comes again. We are new creatures, and can never be the same again after experiencing the power of Christ in us. We wear His insignia and we are to live permanently in reconciliation, not grieving again the Spirit of God. Recreated in His image, we are His exhibits! We are his love letter to the rest of the world, that they also might know Him. At present Jesus is operating in us through His Holy Spirit, so that we His hands and feet, His voice and eyes and ears as we journey through this temporary life. He is walking with us (the shepherd) through the Valley of the Shadow of Death (this life of ignorance of God) giving us the staff of life for comfort, (the Word in due season), boldness in place of fear, (The truth sets us free of lies and fear), a feast (set before us in the presence of our enemy) of love, hope and truth, and the gifts of the Spirit, annointing with the oil of the Spirit for inspiration and direction, goodness and mercy following us all the days of our lives, and a place in the House of the Lord forever. Ps 23).

Q3. (Romans 5:6, 8) Why is it so important to embrace the truth that "Christ died for the ungodly" (5:6), that "Christ died for sinners" (5:8)? According to 5:8, did Christ die for us at our best or at our worst? How does this give us assurance against the devil's lies about us being too bad to forgive? "The Truth shall set you free". It is always essential to know the truth, for it sets us free. Not to face the whole truth inveigles us in a lie, which is the reason for our death in the first place. Ignorance holds us firmly in bondage to the lie, for Jesus said on the Cross, "Father, forgive them, they DON'T KNOW what they do." The fact is that Jesus died for us although we live in sin in order to raise our status with Heaven. 'There was no other way in which it could be done. If we are to appreciate Him we have to appreciate the whole truth, not just the good bits! Our access to salvation, in large measure, requires our appreciation of what He has done. Christ died for us at our ungodly worst. Only His love could redeem the situation. We had NO power over it at all. I praise Father that He sent Jesus to redeem us at our worst, to exhibit His love in our depraved state, for it means we can always receive it right at that point, and there is nothing that satan can do about that.

Q4. (Romans 5:9-11) What does "reconciliation" mean? Why is reconciliation with God necessary? We understand our having been saved by Jesus' death (5:10a, past tense). In what sense are we being saved (5:10b, present tense) by his life? What is Jesus doing for us in the present? Reconciliation refers to the regaining of unity between disparate persons. We had effectively called God a liar by believing other than His words, and thus dissociated ourselves from His intimacy. This is the greatest possible insult to God and could not be undone by us. If we are to have intimacy with God ( as was His original intention), then reconciliation between us us necessary. You can't call someone a liar and continue to have the same intimate relationship. It required His forgiveness, mercy and grace to provide a way back for those who want it. He seeded His life into the earth (poured Hi blood on the ground, before sending HIs Spirit on Pentecost) so that if we would give away our life, we'd receive His life - and reconciliation with God the Father - in its place. We are actually, now, the presence of Christ on earth, because His Spirit lives in us as it did in Him. Having sent us the Holy Spirit, He is interceding for us with he Father.

Our sufferings are what produce character in us via endurance, perseverance, determination, vision and all the things that are required to deal with suffering. Without these qualities no-one gets anywhere. The eternal principle works in the world (eg if you want to achieve a profession or career you have to give up certain things in order to achieve others) as well as in Christian life. Christian vision goes far beyond worldly vision into eternity which is with Christ, and therefore adds a great new perspective to our lives. "All things work together for good to those who are called according to God's purpose (Romans 8:28). So for us particularly, suffering is turned to wisdom, understanding, perspicacity (look it up - it has become a favourite word of mine lately to describe a certain quality). It brings us to a point where God can begin to do something more with us - well, that is if we are constant in faithfulness and hope through times of suffering. When we look back at what suffering has produced in our lives we should see strong character strengths forming. We begin to know who we are in Christ and learn the power of His Spirit. When we look at others suffering we should encourage them in character development through this means. When suffering is ahead of us we know that Christ will never leave us or forsake us, but enable us to "walk through the valley of the shadow of death" fearing no evil, comforted by the staff (God's Word?), looking at a table set before us in the presence of our enemies (suffering), annointed with oil for the journey, with mercy and grace following us, and dwelling in the House of the Lord forever. Then there is the victory to look forward to, the answers to prayer, the grace of the Father in provision, the fact that there is a reason why we must walk through this and we can look forward to what God will do through it. (eg Those who have been released from drugs minister with understanding to those still in their grip). We cry out to God for wisdom and sometimes suffering is the spur that brings it on! Perseverance is the beginning. I am working with a child at school to help him focus better in class. As he gains little successes he sets himself further goals, without me having to set them (though I sometimes motivate them). Perseverance is pre-requisite to achievement and success. Success is basic to (right) confidence (yes, our confidence is in God because we know a bit more than those of the world) and unity with the way things are. Challenge (goal setting) is essential to perseverance. These are the tools of character building. Tried character is much lacking, even among Christians today. Character means being in touch with reality (as God sees it). Character is integrity that goes beyond Sunday into the family life and workplace. Character is well understood by everyone, as we all know what we expect of our leaders, politicians, and in particular the world knows exactly what it expects of Christians! They may not practice it themselves, but they know exactly how Christians ought to behave. Character means leaving peer-group pressure behind and doing what is right. Character means putting aside the techniques commonly used for manipulating society, family, associates, and keeping the picture clear and clean, bringing to light that which is suspect and replacing it with that which is accountable. Character means rock-hard standards together clear-sightedness, tender sensibility, total vulnerability and gentleness of heart. Rudyard Kipling's poem "If" describes it pretty well. Hope equates to vision of what is coming, and with God that is everything! It is not comparable to the scant promise of the lottery ticket. It is comparable with the hope of seeing daylight arrive in the morning, spring time arrive after winter, judgement at the end of time, and Jesus coming again. We are betting on certainties! The odds may be long but they invariably pay up.

Q1. (Romans 5:1-2) According to verses 1-2, faith is a key to salvation. For Abraham (4:3), what was the relationship between faith and justification? For us (5:1-2), what is the relationship between faith and justification? In your own words, what does it mean to be justified? Adam had chosen to believe satan rather than God and acted accordingly. This destroyed his wonderful relationship with God and it could not be won back. Abraham chose to believe God and act accordingly. This made the relationship possible and a whole new thing began on the face of the earth which Jesus later sanctified by His blood. He believed God, and God had the joy of treating him just as if original sin had never been perpetrated (justification). If you don't believe someone then it is impossible to have an intimate relationship with that person. Intimacy depends on trust. For us, intimacy with God depends entirely on whether we trust God, or whether we trust other opinions. If we trust other opinions then we cannot share the wonder of God's revelation within our spirit. If we trust and do all that God commands us we put ourselves, by choice, in a position of intimacy with God. He does not force this intimacy. We have to choose it. If we do choose to believe (trust, be directed by) Him, then we enter the Heavenly family by adoption, and all that Heaven offers is ours and we have access to it, through the blood of Jesus which covered the price of sin and all forms of violence in God's exquisite kingdom. Faith is simply the action that is consequent upon what a person believes. Faith in Jesus means action in consequence of believing Jesus. It brings connection, adoption, relationship, what ever way you like to describe it, because God responds immdiately to it with His love. It is the invitation He needs to become involved in a man's life. It is the opening of the door on which He knocks, that He might come in and sup. To be justified means the adoption papers have been drawn up, agreed to, and signed, giving all the rights of a son to the adopted person. It means I am in, I belong, I'm family. It means God is my Father (just as He was to Jesus) and no human being can take that away from me. It means that, as I grow, all the family traditions will be implanted in me, I get to put things on Father's cheque book, use His insignia and Name, I have a huge family of brothers and sisters with the same privileges and responsibilities. It means the family will back me if I have need for it, and there is nothing that can stand against that kind of strength. What miraculous blessing that is!