"I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me."
-Romans 7:21
I started yesterday my reading and as I always remind the saints at Twin Cities Grace Fellowship, the epistle to the Romans is jammed-packed and every time I read, something always jumps out: new and/or refreshing. The text is absolutely wonderful. Here are a few of my notes I have made on Romans 7; however, I don't include every verse in this blog.
Romans 7:1- “Death breaks the dominion and obligation of the law”
We are dead to the law so that our position of being dead to sin (chapter 6) can be put into practice. The reason why God had to do that is because the law was not designed to accommodate the deadness to sin. The law was designed to put sin into motion (7:5).
v. 4- God had to make us dead to the law so that we can bring forth fruit unto Him. (Gal. 2:19)
You can’t live unto God under the law, if God has to make you dead to the law so that you can live unto Him, God has to make you dead to the law so that you can bring forth fruit unto Him. Then that means you can’t do it under the law. This is the critical thing that we have to learn and realize the reality of.
v. 5, “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.”
v. 6, “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”
Newness of spirit is little (s) that means a new system of operation and thinking in your human spirit, instead of the letter of the law there. Instead of having that performance system in your mind and thinking that God is going to bless if you do good and curse if you do evil and having fear for your motivation of serving (law contract). Instead of operating out of that thinking, God says we are dead to sin, dead to law, so that we should serve in newness of spirit, Grace thinking, who you are in Christ, and operating out of that.
v. 7, next objection, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, thou shalt not covet.”
v. 8, “But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.”
Example of v. 8
v. 9, “For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, SIN REVIVED, AND I DIED.”
Nothing wrong with the law, but our assumptions are wrong!!
v. 13, “Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.”
v. 14, “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” (Heb. 9)
v. 15-25= “Struggle to put His position in Christ under the law.”
The sin he wants to stop he can’t, and the good he wants he can’t.
v. 17, We are to be free from sin and dead to sin. Why then in verse 17, is sin doing anything in us? It comes by the law. The law does not provide the capacity to do the good you wish, but has the flesh operating and sin reviving. Our flesh is dead.
v. 22-23, “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”
***Another law in my members…who wins the war, “and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ***
v. 24, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
He just described functional death and the deliverance is getting yourself from under the law and operating who you are in Christ.
v. 25, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”
Reference-chapter 6, in Christ Jesus our Lord we are under grace!!! What we need is a system that doesn’t cater to the flesh because the flesh only serves the law of sin. What we need is a system that doesn’t call upon the flesh and that's what grace does, it's crucifying you in Christ. God puts us under grace, may we not put ourselves under law.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
FOUND IN HIM!!!
I am desiring and hoping to write some short articles based off my reading each morning. I won't be writing every morning which was and maybe one day will be my lofty goal; however, intend on writing once or twice a week. My goal, because I enjoy writing, is to share a few thoughts about a particular passage that sticks out in my mind from God's Word that morning. These articles will by no means be exhaustive.
Philippians 3:7-9,
"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:"
This passage has become dear to my heart for several reasons. I quickly want to point out that Philippians is one of Paul's later epistles, written after the Acts period. He writes this epistle form prison. Paul is older and more mature in the faith. Here are some things I enjoy in the passage.
1) Notice verse 7 & 8 are similar and he almost repeats himself.
v. 7, "but what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ."
v. 8a, "yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:"
Paul said he counted all the things that were gain to him (see verses 4-6) as loss, but notice that HE STILL counts them loss. What does he count them loss for? For Christ, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
2) His all things that he counts as loss are counted as dung. No explanation needed.
3) My favorite verse out of this passage is verse 9. After many years in ministry and through many years of suffering Paul desire STILL is to be FOUND IN HIM (CHRIST). Paul's life was one of faith and he desired whether the rapture happened or at his death he would be found in Him. Paul although had his position eternally secure in Christ, practically he wanted to be found in that position in Christ. What does it mean to be found in Him?
4) NOT HAVING MINE OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF THE LAW. This is a natural bent within mankind. We want to work. We want to work in order to prove something. In Exodus at the giving of the law, before Israel received the commandments they yelled, "all that the Lord commands we will do". Yea right. Are human pride wants to work to show God we can do something or prove something. Paul's attitude was not one of, "now I am saved so I will keep the law", but rather, "I am saved by faith alone in Christ alone I want to continue and be found in that faith". Paul wanted to be found not in his own righteousness which is of the law, but the righteousness that is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Paul walked by faith and continued to walk by faith not in His own righteousness, but in Christ's.
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him:"
-Colossians 2:6
May you rest in Christ's righteousness today by faith. I hope you desire to be found in Him and not in yourself. Christ is the issue. Count it all but dung for Christ!!!
Look Up,
Josh Strelecki
Philippians 3:7-9,
"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:"
This passage has become dear to my heart for several reasons. I quickly want to point out that Philippians is one of Paul's later epistles, written after the Acts period. He writes this epistle form prison. Paul is older and more mature in the faith. Here are some things I enjoy in the passage.
1) Notice verse 7 & 8 are similar and he almost repeats himself.
v. 7, "but what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ."
v. 8a, "yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:"
Paul said he counted all the things that were gain to him (see verses 4-6) as loss, but notice that HE STILL counts them loss. What does he count them loss for? For Christ, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
2) His all things that he counts as loss are counted as dung. No explanation needed.
3) My favorite verse out of this passage is verse 9. After many years in ministry and through many years of suffering Paul desire STILL is to be FOUND IN HIM (CHRIST). Paul's life was one of faith and he desired whether the rapture happened or at his death he would be found in Him. Paul although had his position eternally secure in Christ, practically he wanted to be found in that position in Christ. What does it mean to be found in Him?
4) NOT HAVING MINE OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF THE LAW. This is a natural bent within mankind. We want to work. We want to work in order to prove something. In Exodus at the giving of the law, before Israel received the commandments they yelled, "all that the Lord commands we will do". Yea right. Are human pride wants to work to show God we can do something or prove something. Paul's attitude was not one of, "now I am saved so I will keep the law", but rather, "I am saved by faith alone in Christ alone I want to continue and be found in that faith". Paul wanted to be found not in his own righteousness which is of the law, but the righteousness that is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Paul walked by faith and continued to walk by faith not in His own righteousness, but in Christ's.
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him:"
-Colossians 2:6
May you rest in Christ's righteousness today by faith. I hope you desire to be found in Him and not in yourself. Christ is the issue. Count it all but dung for Christ!!!
Look Up,
Josh Strelecki
Monday, June 28, 2010
"The Word {Wisdom} of God, The Spirit of God, and The Apostle of God" Pt. 1
As I have started to read again 1 Corinthians I remember particularly their carnality. Some preachers say there is no such thing as a carnal Christian. They will say carnality cannot coexist with being a Christian. This is to say a Christian once a Christian never sins. I would agree if they were to say carnality should not coexist with our new life in Christ. This goes into the issue of a believer having two natures which many reject. However, as I read about these carnal Corinthians, Paul first calls them carnal not because of their immoral sin of fornication and glorying in it, or because they are taking other believers to an unbelieving judicial system, but rather because the issue of God's authority is not settle in their midst. They are following men and making men the issue. The flow of Corinthians is absolutely wonderful. In chapter 2 Paul explains how he "came (to them) not with excellency of speech or of wisdom" although he did come with a wisdom, just not with man's wisdom as he explains in verse 4, "and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:"
Paul compares "with enticing words of man's wisdom" against "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power". I think it very interesting here he does not explain what the man's wisdom is, but rather the delivering of the man's wisdom. There are preachers at Corinth preaching man's wisdom, but because it is man's wisdom they need to use enticing words. Words to draw you in. Paul explains these enticing words elsewhere in his epistles as "vain gangling", "good words and fair speeches", "old wives' fables", "traditions and commandments of men", and many more. They use enticing words to draw, stories to get your attention, excitement to lure you in. Man's wisdom needs a counterpart because they are insufficient in them-self and that counterpart is enticement. Man's wisdom and words are vain and their power source is enticement. Paul here does not reveal the man's wisdom today such as: water baptism, speaking in tongues, law-keeping, covenant theology, calvinism, arminianism; but rather explains the wisdom he (Paul) came to them with which was "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:" What is the wisdom Paul had that demonstrated the Spirit and power? Paul first explains he does not have man's wisdom with enticing words {which they already had}, but God's Word for the purpose of their "faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." When someone puts faith in the wisdom of God they are trusting an all-sufficient power source. What was this wisdom?
Paul goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 2:6-8,
"howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."
God's wisdom that Paul came to them which was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power was the wisdom of God that He never before had revealed. It was the wisdom of God in a mystery. This terminology and wisdom is spoken of all through Paul's epistles (i.e. Romans 16:25-26; Eph. 3:1-9; Col. 1:25-26; to list a few). A wisdom hid in the inner counsel of God's own will, a wisdom formed, planned, and with a nature of hidden before the foundation of the world until God Himself decided to reveal it. A wisdom that further revealed not just Christ as Messiah forming the true Israel of God and as King of kings and Lord of lords over all the earth, but of Christ forming the one new man, the church the body of Christ in which He is Head over. A one new man not to reside on the earth and coexist with Israel, but a one new man to reside in the heavenlies and to coexist with Israel within God's universe.
Notice Paul spoke this wisdom "among them that are perfect:" This does not mean sinless perfection, but rather spiritually mature. This "hidden wisdom" no one knew, not the top dogs in the earth including Satan himself as he is also known as the "prince of this world". God ordained this hidden wisdom before the world unto our {Jew and Gentile believers today} glory.
Paul goes on to say if the princes of the world would have known this hidden wisdom they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Was it not Satan motivating those unbelieving Jews to crucify Him! crucify Him!? Was it not Satan who wanted to destroy the seed that was long ago prophesied to crush him? God knew something He would accomplish through the death, burial, and resurrection of His own Son that Satan could never have imagined, nor anyone else. If Satan would have known this hidden wisdom of God he would not have motivated the crucifixion of the Son of God!!! Not only would Christ redeem Israel through His death, shedding His blood for the New Covenant that He will drink anew with them in the kingdom at His 2nd coming, but God also tore down the middle wall of partition (circumcision & law of Moses) between Jew and Gentile by the Cross and Christ's blood is able to redeem and justify all mankind being only imputed to those who believe. Christ's blood is the only means of satisfying the justice of God. This is the wisdom Paul came to them with and I hope you can see it does not need enticing words, but rather the words them-self are within them self POWER. Paul knew all other wisdom beside the hidden wisdom was man's wisdom with enticing words. Paul knew what he came to them with needed not excellency of speech but instead was in demonstration of the Spirit and power. Paul knew what he had was power, power in hidden wisdom, ordain for them unto their glory. Unfortunately these Corinthians could not bear this wisdom, they were not "among them that are perfect", but rather carnal, babes as it were, needing to be fed with milk. They were making men the issue instead of the hidden wisdom God given to them through The Apostle Paul.
Paul lays forth the wisdom he preached, next the Spirit who searched the deep things of God and is revealing them, and lastly is going to explain his authority as The Apostle who first received this wisdom to preach as he serves not as one of their 10,000 instructors, but rather their father who had begotten them through his gospel.
These three God's Word and wisdom revealed by the Spirit given to Paul to be preached is the channel in which we get God's power source today. Next time we'll look at "The Spirit of God".
Look Up,
Josh Strelecki
Paul compares "with enticing words of man's wisdom" against "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power". I think it very interesting here he does not explain what the man's wisdom is, but rather the delivering of the man's wisdom. There are preachers at Corinth preaching man's wisdom, but because it is man's wisdom they need to use enticing words. Words to draw you in. Paul explains these enticing words elsewhere in his epistles as "vain gangling", "good words and fair speeches", "old wives' fables", "traditions and commandments of men", and many more. They use enticing words to draw, stories to get your attention, excitement to lure you in. Man's wisdom needs a counterpart because they are insufficient in them-self and that counterpart is enticement. Man's wisdom and words are vain and their power source is enticement. Paul here does not reveal the man's wisdom today such as: water baptism, speaking in tongues, law-keeping, covenant theology, calvinism, arminianism; but rather explains the wisdom he (Paul) came to them with which was "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:" What is the wisdom Paul had that demonstrated the Spirit and power? Paul first explains he does not have man's wisdom with enticing words {which they already had}, but God's Word for the purpose of their "faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." When someone puts faith in the wisdom of God they are trusting an all-sufficient power source. What was this wisdom?
Paul goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 2:6-8,
"howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."
God's wisdom that Paul came to them which was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power was the wisdom of God that He never before had revealed. It was the wisdom of God in a mystery. This terminology and wisdom is spoken of all through Paul's epistles (i.e. Romans 16:25-26; Eph. 3:1-9; Col. 1:25-26; to list a few). A wisdom hid in the inner counsel of God's own will, a wisdom formed, planned, and with a nature of hidden before the foundation of the world until God Himself decided to reveal it. A wisdom that further revealed not just Christ as Messiah forming the true Israel of God and as King of kings and Lord of lords over all the earth, but of Christ forming the one new man, the church the body of Christ in which He is Head over. A one new man not to reside on the earth and coexist with Israel, but a one new man to reside in the heavenlies and to coexist with Israel within God's universe.
Notice Paul spoke this wisdom "among them that are perfect:" This does not mean sinless perfection, but rather spiritually mature. This "hidden wisdom" no one knew, not the top dogs in the earth including Satan himself as he is also known as the "prince of this world". God ordained this hidden wisdom before the world unto our {Jew and Gentile believers today} glory.
Paul goes on to say if the princes of the world would have known this hidden wisdom they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Was it not Satan motivating those unbelieving Jews to crucify Him! crucify Him!? Was it not Satan who wanted to destroy the seed that was long ago prophesied to crush him? God knew something He would accomplish through the death, burial, and resurrection of His own Son that Satan could never have imagined, nor anyone else. If Satan would have known this hidden wisdom of God he would not have motivated the crucifixion of the Son of God!!! Not only would Christ redeem Israel through His death, shedding His blood for the New Covenant that He will drink anew with them in the kingdom at His 2nd coming, but God also tore down the middle wall of partition (circumcision & law of Moses) between Jew and Gentile by the Cross and Christ's blood is able to redeem and justify all mankind being only imputed to those who believe. Christ's blood is the only means of satisfying the justice of God. This is the wisdom Paul came to them with and I hope you can see it does not need enticing words, but rather the words them-self are within them self POWER. Paul knew all other wisdom beside the hidden wisdom was man's wisdom with enticing words. Paul knew what he came to them with needed not excellency of speech but instead was in demonstration of the Spirit and power. Paul knew what he had was power, power in hidden wisdom, ordain for them unto their glory. Unfortunately these Corinthians could not bear this wisdom, they were not "among them that are perfect", but rather carnal, babes as it were, needing to be fed with milk. They were making men the issue instead of the hidden wisdom God given to them through The Apostle Paul.
Paul lays forth the wisdom he preached, next the Spirit who searched the deep things of God and is revealing them, and lastly is going to explain his authority as The Apostle who first received this wisdom to preach as he serves not as one of their 10,000 instructors, but rather their father who had begotten them through his gospel.
These three God's Word and wisdom revealed by the Spirit given to Paul to be preached is the channel in which we get God's power source today. Next time we'll look at "The Spirit of God".
Look Up,
Josh Strelecki
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Mediation on Romans 6:1
As Paul leaves no doubt in the readers mind about our justification in Christ and us inheriting eternal life, righteousness, and grace through faith in that Christ was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification, the question then arises: why not sin, why not continue in sin? The question Paul actually assumes will be asked is, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" This question is actually quite subtle. The question Paul assumes has a purpose clause. Shall we continue in sin, so that, in order for, grace may abound. See it is God's grace that is bringing Him glory, so why not sin in order for grace to abound. This is carnal thinking at its' best, yea at it's worst. The main issue I want to focus on is Paul's answer. He says, "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Paul does not start listing off rules and regulations, a list of do's and don'ts, rather Paul gives some information never known before up to this point. Paul says how shall we, how can we live any longer in sin if we are dead to sin. He actually doesn't even place in "if" in the question rather just an "are". We "are dead to sin". Paul doesn't deal with the symptoms of our sin nature; our sins, rather the source, the sin nature itself; our flesh. God has identified us in Christ death and this is the very grounds in which the sin nature loses dominion over us today. Christ death is the means by which sin loses its' power today.
"How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" When we properly know and understand and reckon this fact by faith, the Spirit will work this truth effectually in our Christian walk gaining the right mind to renew daily, answering with Paul, how shall we live any longer therein because we are dead to sin. Praise God for His Word and what Christ has done for us at Calvary. If you are trying to defeat sin today without the death of Christ your attempts are vain, if you are trying to defeat sin by law keeping you are depending on a fleshly means for deliverance from fleshly failure. You are looking for strength from the very source (law) from which you are seeking deliverance. Deliverance comes only from Christ's work at Calvary, set your eyes on Calvary and you in Him. More to come.
Look Up,
Josh Strelecki
"How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" When we properly know and understand and reckon this fact by faith, the Spirit will work this truth effectually in our Christian walk gaining the right mind to renew daily, answering with Paul, how shall we live any longer therein because we are dead to sin. Praise God for His Word and what Christ has done for us at Calvary. If you are trying to defeat sin today without the death of Christ your attempts are vain, if you are trying to defeat sin by law keeping you are depending on a fleshly means for deliverance from fleshly failure. You are looking for strength from the very source (law) from which you are seeking deliverance. Deliverance comes only from Christ's work at Calvary, set your eyes on Calvary and you in Him. More to come.
Look Up,
Josh Strelecki
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