Christians are also called to be careful of how we talk to other people.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. – Ephesians 4:15

This applies to all our relations: family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and even enemies (“Love your enemies” -  Matthew 5:44)

Christians are to make sure that whatever we do is covered with love.  However, there is no such thing as “politically correctness” when it comes to speaking the truth: Christians must speak the truth (and never forget to do it in love).

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. –  Mark 16:15-16

There is more at stake than the people’s feelings. This is a matter of salvation or condemnation. We were called to preach the Good News. If we don’t, then we fail our commission, and we fail to fulfill the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). If we don’t speak the truth of the gospel to our neighbors for fear of offending their feelings, we might be “politically correct” but at the price of hiding from them the truth that leads to salvation.

It is better to be Spiritually correct than politically correct.

God, help me to always speak your truth in love.

How many of us have said the Lord’s Prayer? Probably almost everyone. However, my experience is that many times we repeat this prayer missing the real meaning of it.

For this reason I have been trying to incorporate this prayer in my devotional time, but using a different approach; not repeating the words as impersonal phrases, but rather, making each part of this prayer a living and personal communication with my Creator. A part of this prayer that has impacted me the most is the verse 11

Give us today our daily bread

In common words this would be like saying “provide my basic needs for the day.”  Normally we understand this phrase as a request to God to provide our needs. But this part of the prayer has more profound meaning than that.

First, when we say “give us…our daily bread” we are confessing that we recognize that God is our supplier. We trust that above our work and effort God is in control of our needs.

Second, when we say “today our daily…” we are basically saying “provide today my needs for the day.” This is a contradictory concept in the modern world. The truth is that the norm is that we work placing our mind (and often worrying) to meet the need for today, tomorrow, the next week, the next year, and even the need we will have in 20 years. We must continue to work hard as long as we can, but we must beware of coming to think that only through our efforts we will ensure our future.

Jesus wanted with this prayer to teach us to make a statement of faith, telling God “I am willing to live each day trusting in you and not me.”

No. It is not easy to pray this way. It is not easy to tell God “do what you want me to do, and I will continue trusting in you.” It’s not easy giving up the control we think we have. It is not easy to walk by faith.

Oh God, help me to understand the truth of this beautiful prayer in my life. Free my mind so I can understand the blessing of what it means to trust in you and live by faith. Help me to understand that what I can do for myself does not mean that I have control, but that I am being blessed by you. I want to be able to pray with my heart saying “provide me only what I need today and nothing else, tomorrow I will keep trusting you.”

…the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ – Romans 9:4-5

After reading these verses we can say that being an Israelite seems to have many advantages. But these benefits are not granted to people simply for being descendants of Israel.

For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children…In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.  Romans 9:6-8

Those benefits are obtained not by being descendant of Israel, but by being children of the promise.

• To whom was the promise given? To Abraham. – Genesis 12:1-2
• Why?  Because he believed, and was credited with righteousness – Galatians 3:6
• What was the promise? All the families of the earth will be blessed in Abraham.  – Genesis 12:3
• Who receives the promise? those who believe – Galatians 3:7

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. – Romans 9:30-32

We could think that we are righteous because of what we do, or because we are ‘good’ Christians, or because we think (or people say) that we are good persons. That is exactly what happened to Israel: they sought to establish their own righteousness (Romans 10:3). But that is just the human definition of righteousness. If we try to attain righteousness based on our own efforts we will end empty handed.

God established that righteousness can only be obtained through faith in Jesus.  Do you want to be a child of God? Do you want to be credited with righteousness? Choose the easiest way. Choose God’s way: put your faith in Jesus.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  – Romans 8:31-32

When I was a little child and played baseball with other children, I remember that the leaders of each team made sure to always select the best players first. That way they made sure that their team had the advantage. As members of Christ’s team we know that we have THE BEST player in our team. We may have a bad at bat, or may commit an error on the field, but there is one thing we know for sure: OUR TEAM WILL WIN.

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. – Romans 8:33-34

There might be people in the “bleachers” shouting at us because we are not having our best game, but Christ Jesus (our manager, and the star of the team) will stand for us.  Our average might not be the best, but He will keep us in the game.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:35-39

In the last verses of chapter 8 Paul mentions a series of things that could make anyone run away (persecution, sword, death, demons, etc.). But, once you have experience the love of Christ there is nothing in this world (physical or spiritual) that will make you leave his side.  There is no reason for leaving the winning team. NONE.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. -  Romans 8:18

If someone taught you that Christians don’t suffer, let me tell you that such teaching isn’t from the bible.  In fact, you will find many bible verses that teach that Christian living is not without suffering (e.g. Romans 5:3, 2 Corinthians 12:10, Philippians 1:29, 1 Peter 2:20).  Suffering is part of a world that has been corrupted by sin. Everybody suffers: Christians and non-Christians.  However, Christians know that suffering in this world is just temporary, but our prize is eternal. And while we wait for our prize, we live our lives strengthened by faith (Romans 5:1), hope (Colossians 1:5), peace (Philippians 4:6-7), consolation (2 Corinthians 1:3-5), and above all, God’s love (1 John 4:9-10).

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. – Romans 8:24-25

Do all this mean that Christian life is full of suffering and our only hope is in things to come? No. Being children of God (John 1:12) have great benefits (there is not enough space to talk about these in just one blog, but browse through the ministry blogs and you will know what I am talking about). As Christians, we know where we are (present sufferings), and we know where we are headed (the glory that will be revealed). That knowledge gives you a different perspective and a great advantage over life sufferings.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  – Romans 8:28

It doesn’t  matter what happens to us (those who love God), God will make things work (help, cooperate) for our good. That is, even in the midst of persecution, suffering, pain or loss, God will make something good come out of it. Nobody can avoid problems, but Christians can live with the certainty that God will bless us in spite of the problems.  The verse includes a Disclaimer: this offer is only valid for true Christians: “those called according to his purpose…conformed to the likeness of His son” (Romans 8:28b-29).

In the midst of life’s problems stand firm, for in Christ the best is yet to come.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1

No condemnation! It is a  comfort to know that through Christ our destiny changed from condemnation to life. Through Christ’s sacrifice we were redeemed from the bondage of sin. However, to continue living a life free of condemnation, we must take a daily decision to not to live by (walk according) to the desires of this world (the flesh), but according to the direction of Spirit.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. – Romans 8:5-6

That which drives our choices define our direction.

• Those whose decisions are guided by their flesh belong (set their minds) to this world.
• Those led by the Spirit belong to Christ.

Now, the direction we take defines our destination, and the related consequences, which in this case has eternal implications:

• Those guided by their flesh: death
• Those guided by the Spirit: life and peace

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. – Romans 8:7-8

What is the problem of living according to the flesh (carnal mind)? The desires of the flesh are against (is not subject) to the God’s purposes. If we do not subject to God’s law we are indeed rejecting God as Lord over our lives, leading us in a direction opposite to God. Therefore, living according to the flesh makes us His enemies (enmity against God).

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. – Romans 8:9

If we belong to Christ, His Spirit lives in us, and He has dominion over our decisions. If this is not true in your life, that means that you have not defined your relationship with Christ in the way it should be. This is a reason to be worried, but only if you do nothing about it.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. – Romans 8:12-13

When the consequences of our decisions are clearly seen, it makes it easier to make a decision. In this case, our decision may lead us to only two destinations: death or life. I think that  it should not be difficult to decide.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” … and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. – Romans 8:14-17

Deciding to allow Christ to guide our lives has its advantages:

• Sons of God
• We can approach God with confidence
• Heirs

I decide to follow Christ.

When a slave is freed, it means that he/she can decide what to do with his/her live. Those that have been freed by Jesus must decide if they want to dedicate their lives to serve Christ, or if they want to turn back to slavery. There is no middle ground: we are either slaves to sin or servants of God.

We should use our bodies according to our decision: as instruments of wickedness or as instruments or righteousness.

Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master – Romans 6:13-14

A new Master

As Christ followers we have a new master: God.

Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. – Romans 6:16-18

Paul’s comments might seem a little harsh, but they go right to the point. Nobody likes to be referred to as “slave”. In ancient history people could sell themselves as slaves. In this case, slavery was an exchange (for debts, food and shelter, etc.). So using this case as an example, we can compare employment as a form of slavery. So we enslave ourselves in exchange for money. While we are employed, we must submit ourselves to a master (boss, supervisor, etc.). However, if the conditions of the employment are not satisfactory to us, and we don’t like were it is leading us, we can decide to submit ourselves to another master (find another job) that offers better conditions and benefits. So God is our new master, to whom we have wholeheartedly submitted in exchange for his everlasting love. This is a whole new meaning to the word slave. We are not ashamed to be called slaves to God.

I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:19-23

When we were slaves to sin, the things we were used to do were leading us to death. Paul encourages us to use that same energy, but as slaves of righteousness, and with a total different result: eternal life.

At war

We were freed from sin, but while we are in this earth we will still struggle with our sinful nature. With our hearts and our minds we want to please God, but we have found that we are at war against ourselves.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. – Romans 7:15-20

This is not a license to sin, but a warning against our nature.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. – Romans 7:21-23

This doesn’t look very promising. Even Paul said “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). But, as the old proverb says “Forewarned is forearmed”. We know that we will be at war, so we need to prepare to face the enemy. We need to know their weakness and use the proper weapons.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. – Hebrews 4:15

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

If we were to face this war alone, we would stand no chance. But with Jesus in our side, victory is secured.

Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! – Romans 7:25

Sin created separation between us and God. Our only solution: a sacrifice. But not our sacrifice, since it wouldn’t have been accepted because of our sin, and second, it would have meant the end of our existence. Thanks God for Jesus Christ! Through faith in his sacrifice we are reconciled with God, and we receive eternal life.

When Jesus died, he took our place. So we didn’t suffer physical death, but for the purpose of our relation with God our old self died along with Jesus. In the same way, we received a new life with Jesus’ resurrection. This process is symbolized in the baptism.

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. – Romans 6:3-4

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. – Romans 6:11

Before Jesus’ sacrifice we were slaves to sin. But now that our old self is death we are free from the slavery of sin.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. – Romans 6:6-7

There is no more sinning just because it is our nature. We can now live our lives controlling our decisions and actions. To submit ourselves again to a sinful life is like giving up our freedom.

We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? – Romans 6:2

Remember: sin brought separation between us and God, so if after being freed we return to sin, we are just returning to were we begun: condemnation without hope.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. – Romans 6:12-14

Does that mean that a Christian will never sin? No. God knows our nature. So he asks us not to live in sin (verse 2), and not to let sin reign in our lives (verse 12).  That is, not to practice sin. The apostle John also recognizes this fact in his writings:

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. – 1 John 1:8-10

So, if we want to keep what Jesus won for us let’s do our best to keep our lives free from sin. Is it difficult? I can’t say it is not, but let me leave you with a two steps secret to victory from the word of God:

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. – James 4:7

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.  – Romans 3:27

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:6-8

What did we do to deserve God’s forgiveness? Nothing. Forgiveness is an undeserved gift from God. All we need to do in order to receive forgiveness is to have “faith in his blood” (3:25). We might be tempted to think that we can be justified by what we do or by who we are, but there is nothing we can do to justify ourselves before God. He is “the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (3:26). There is no boasting. It doesn’t matter if we are good Christians, good parents, good citizens, or good neighbors:  nothing will justify us but faith.

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. – Romans 3:28

and

It was not through law … but through the righteousness that comes by faith. – Romans 4:13

During Paul’s times some religious leaders were teaching about the requirements of religious practices (“observing the law”) in order to achieve salvation. Paul wrote to make sure nobody was deceived by these lies. As we have mentioned on previous studies, we are called to do “good works”, but we do them because we are already in Christ, and not because we want to justified ourselves before God.

when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. – Romans 4:4-5

The results of our justification

Sin made us God’s enemies (5:10). But justification through Jesus restored our peace with God.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. – Romans 5:1-2

There will be wrath, but only for God’s enemies (5:9). But for all those who have been reconciled through Jesus there will be salvation.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! –Romans 5:9-10

What a CHANGE!

From sin to righteousness

From enemies to peace

From ungodliness to justification

From wrath to salvation

The bridge to get us to the other side: Jesus.

This blessing was brought to you by: God’s love for you and me.

No one is good

If we perform a poll and ask people if they consider themselves a “good” person, most will probably answer yes. It is likely that this answer is based on their own standards, but are they using the correct standards?

In court procedures most defendants plead not guilty. They might think that their behavior was acceptable, but if that behavior is against a written code, they will be found guilty of breaking the law.

According to the standards established by God all people have sinned, and we are all guilty.

There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes. – Romans 3:10-18

You might say “This does not fit my description”, but one way or another we are, or we were, somehow described by these words. But if you still insist to be a “good” person look at what Jesus said:

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good-except God alone“. – Mark 10:18

and

whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. – John 3:18

Court procedures are not defined by what is the defendant’s understanding of the law, but by what is defined on the written codes. The same thing happens with God’s law.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23

I know what you are thinking: “What are my options if no matter what I do I will never be considered a ‘good’ person?” Don’t worry. God took care of that.

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – Romans 3:21-23

According to God’s law we have been found guilty. But, as some justice system has adopted the concept of “presidential pardon” for forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with it, God has established “celestial pardon” for all those who have faith in Jesus Christ.

There is no lengthy process or waiting time required, only sincere repentance and faith.

[we]are [all] justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.- Romans 3:24