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Dividing the Word of Truth
(2
Timothy 2:15)
*Bible Lessons Published Weekly on Friday
This
is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to
be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1Timothy 2:3-4
Romans by the Book Lesson
113
I want to thank all
the faithful followers who have been with
us since this Romans study began almost three years ago. If you’re a first-time visitor to Home Bible
Study©, then please know I’m especially glad to have you here with
us today.
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In
Romans 14:1 thru 15:3 Paul dealt with the issue of personal convictions and personal liberties concerning doubtful practices
i.e. dancing, music, playing cards, tattoos, video games, etc. Accordingly, he instructed the strong Believer to refrain from
exercising their freedoms in Christ
Jesus when there’s a chance another person may be harmed.
Scripture
addresses some of these disputable issues such as drinking wine, eating meat,
special days and fasting. But if people
hang onto to their “legalistic” beliefs instead of embracing their “freedom” or
liberty found in God’s Grace through
faith in Jesus Christ, which the Jewish brethren were doing in Paul’s day and
some folks are still doing today, then we are not to judge them or look down on them for their weakness. For the kingdom of God
is not eating and drinking (or fasting), but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (v17).
Yes,
fasting is a disputable matter in the
church today. People are quick to point
out that “fasting” was practiced by the nation of Israel and Jesus Christ
(Matthew 4:1-11) in the four gospels and the early chapters of Acts. This makes
sense since most of the Bible is written to the Jews, under the Dispensation of
the Law.
However,
if someone is saying you have to “fast” please know your Bible gives no such command. Believers are under the Dispensation of Grace
(Romans 6:14) and our Apostle is Paul (Acts 9; Romans 11:13). The only place in Scripture where the idea of
Believers fasting is even suggested is Paul’s letter to the Corinthians where
he writes to husbands and wives: Defraud ye not one the other, except it be
with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to (what)
fasting and prayer; and
come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. (KJV- 1 Corinthians 7:5)
(The
New American Standard Bible has removed the word “fasting” from this verse.)
But
even in 1 Corinthians 7:5 fasting is not commanded and no details or
instructions about this activity are offered.
Fasting is a spiritual discipline which can help those who practice it connect
with God the Father for whatever reason.
However, Believers are not only already “connected” to God by way of His
Son’s sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection, they’re acceptable to
God. You can’t get any closer to God
than being called “adopted as sons (and
daughters) and children of God.
Although
fasting is permitted by Scripture, I generally do not recommend it. Fasting may conflict with several medications
that need to be taken with food. Then
you have certain medical conditions that require people to eat regularly such
as diabetes.
If
you’re considering a fast, check with your doctor before you begin one. By the way, a fast does not mean you stop
drinking water. Healthy humans can
survive several days without food but only last a few days without water!
If
you want to “connect” with God, try prayer.
You already have your heavenly Father’s ear… He’s waiting to hear from you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Please
open your Bible to Romans 15:4 where we’ll pick up on our Apostle Paul’s
teaching on the subject of personal convictions
and personal liberties.
Romans 15
4: For whatever
was written in earlier times was written for our (what) instruction, so that through
perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
There
is a page in one of my Bibles that appears right before the book of Matthew which
simply says, “The New Testament.” There’s nothing else written on it. It appears to be a “divider” intentionally
inserted at this point in the Bible to separate the Old Testament from the New Testament
or at least that’s the implication.
My
question to you is the O.T. and the N.T. supposed to be kept separate?
This
is a relevant question today, since so many Christians aren’t even bothering to
read their Bible and others openly express disdain, even contempt, toward the
O.T. Scriptures saying, “I’m a New
Testament Christian; I have no need of the Old Testament.” “The book of Genesis is nothing but metaphors
and symbolism. The Scriptures are
outdated; they are completely out-of-step with society today, they are
irrelevant, and should be rewritten.”
To
illustrate: an article written in the
April 3rd edition of the New York Times by Frank Bruni, who is gay,
recognizes that Christian beliefs are not necessarily grounded in hatred. He claims the problem is that, “Beliefs ossified over centuries aren’t
easily shaken.”
According
to Mr. Bruni, who has no understanding of Scripture (and how could he; he’s
reading someone else’s love letter), “If
we (Believers) hold to the view that
homosexuality is a sin, this is our decision; our choice.” He wants us all to shake free from our
fossilized faith and accept the LGBT agenda.
Bruni thinks Believers can simply dismiss the “Scriptures” as “ancient
texts” explaining that “all writings
reflect the biases and blind spots of their authors, cultures, and eras.”
People
have been trying to dismiss the Scriptures and their authority for years; were
just more aware of it today because the left-wing media has been picking up on
it in support of the LGBT agenda, especially under the current political
administration. The Humanists also chime
in claiming the Bible is “unreliable”
saying it’s filled with contradictions. This
is the equivalent of me picking up a physics book and declaring it is filled
with “contradictions.” You see I don’t understand
physics and probably never will no matter how much time I pore over the
book. These Humanists, I dare say, do
not know God or His Son; so they have no relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, they lack understanding in
spiritual things, since the Holy Spirit guides people in Truth. (John 16:13)
The
Truth is the entire Bible is relevant
no matter the “age;” whether it’s labeled O.T. or N.T. it’s the same book and
When
Paul says, For whatever was written in earlier
times was written for our instruction, he’s referring to the
Old Testament Scriptures; the four gospels, Paul’s letters, and the remainder
of the New Testament weren’t written or compiled yet. The gospel of Matthew was written, around
40-45 AD. In 363 AD, the Council of
Laodicea stated that only the Old Testament (along with the Apocrypha) and the
27 books of the New Testament were to be read in the churches from that time
onward.
Here’s
my point: the LORD God had supplied in
writing all the information Israel needed and it was readily available; some of
it was good and some of it was bad. The
idea being that you read it, you study it, and you learn from both the good and the
bad. Our Apostle Paul writes: All
Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, for training in righteousness; (2 Timothy 3:16).
Romans 12
5: Now may the God
who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the (what) same mind with one another
according to (who) Christ Jesus,
6: so that with one
accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In
the previous chapters Paul had been expressing the need for these folks to
express their “unique” spiritual gifts in service to one another and to strangers while maintaining their
uniqueness. Here he is stressing the
need for “spiritual unity” within the Body of Christ, being of the same mind, working together
towards the same goal of allowing each other to express their unique
character, as we glorify God together
with one voice.
We
are to accept one another as “family” and “friends” showing them the kindness
likened to our Lord who welcomes everyone including a Pharisee (Luke 7:36-50),
a crowd of 5,000 (Luke 9:10-17) and a crowd numbering 4,000 (Mark 8:1-10); and
He dined with those who had obvious “flaws” such as tax collectors and sinners
(Luke 7:34). Jesus Christ instructed His
followers in the “nature of hospitality” with these words: “But when you give a
reception (banquet), invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed,
since they do not have the means to
repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the
righteousness.” (Luke 14:13-14)
The
Lord Jesus Christ welcomes everyone to His table and invites them to “Come as You Are.” Matthew was called to be an apostle of
Jesus Christ and saved as a Tax Collector and a cheat; only God knows the rest
of his story (Luke 5:27-32).
How
different this is from the practice of Christian hospitality today where people
are judged on sight and deemed acceptable or unacceptable at a glance. “Does that person “look” gay to you?” “What’s wrong with her “eyes;” is she high?” “Look at how they’re dressed; they look like
an unmade bed.” “If he didn’t spend so
much money tattooing his body, he’d have money to put in the collection plate…,”
“Can’t they afford soap and water…” etc.
Jesus
Christ gave this direct command: “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with
righteous judgment.” (John
7:24) Superficial judgment is
wrong. Passing judgment on someone based
solely on appearance or hearsay (gossip) is sinful behavior. Simon the Pharisee passed judgment on a woman
based on her appearance and reputation, but he failed to understand that
the woman had already been forgiven; thus Simon drew Jesus’ rebuke for his
unrighteous judgment of her (Luke 7:36-50).
True
Believers are to be discerning (Colossians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). We are to gently confront back-sliding
brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus (Galatians 6:1), and we are to speak the
Truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), as we work together towards the goal of like-mindedness and spiritual unity, in Christ Jesus.
Romans 15
7: Therefore, accept
one another (with
all our obvious, and no so obvious flaws),
just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.
Fall
is here, which mean Halloween is almost on our doorstep (no pun intended). It’s a fun time for children, teen-agers, and
yes, even adults, who don costumes and “masks” of all types, usually associated
with one’s personality. What most
people fail to realize is that we all wear a wide assortment of “masks” daily
whether at home with our loved ones, at work, at play, or with our close
friends. In so doing, we tend to forget that
our Father in heaven knows us better than we know ourselves, He has seen behind
all our masks, and said, “I love you despite your flaws and I want you to be a
member of My family.”
We
put on masks everyday because we don’t want other people to see us as we truly are.
They
serve to protect us in our relationships, and from a not so nice world.
They protect us from rejection and ridicule. In truth, masks are a form of misdirection,
permitting an individual to move seamlessly into their environment. They are a psychological defense mechanism
designed for the sole purpose of easing the task of “survival” in society. People don masks to be accepted, loved, or
ignored.
Whether
you know it or not, you removed all your masks when you accepted Jesus Christ
as your Lord and Savior. The invitation
was for you to “Come as You Are,”
sans mask. The more you get to know
another person, like your spouse, the more masks you tend to take off until
they’re all gone. This is one facet of
love; getting more comfortable with one another and mutually deciding that
there will be no more “secrets.”
Still,
people tend to hang onto that last mask.
This one is difficult for the individual to remove because it will
reveal who they truly are. I believe “the
last mask” hinders more people from coming to Christ than even pride. They don’t want anyone to see their “ugliness”
- to know how badly they’re flawed.
Please
know that Scripture says: And there is no creature hidden from
His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of
Him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews
4:13) Nothing we’ve done is done in
secret. It’s all open to the eyes of Jesus
Christ to whom we must give an account!
Agape
love receives another in the faith like family and shares without condition. Sacrificial love doesn’t “hold anything back,”
remembering that Jesus Christ gave His all for all.
Paul
reminds us to accept one another (just
as they are), just as Christ also accepted us... When a person fails to receive another in
the faith without hypocrisy, in a
way we are placing ourselves higher than Jesus Christ. This is the height of arrogance and certainly
not an act of an individual who is Spirit led:
I say to everyone among you not
to think more highly of himself (or herself) than he (or she) ought to
think. (Romans 12:3)
Romans 15
8: For I say that
Christ has become a servant to the circumcision (i.e. the nation of
Israel) on behalf of the truth of the
God to confirm the promises given
to the fathers (Abraham, Issac, and Jacob).
This
verse takes us back to my earlier comment concerning how some Christians “feel”
the Old Testament is irrelevant, simply a “metaphor,” or a book composed of
fireside stories to scare little children.
Verse 8 takes us all the way back 2000 BC and to Genesis chapter 12. This is when the LORD God calls Abram from
the land of Ur, and establishes His covenant with him, despite the idolatry and
the fact that everyone has forgotten God.
God
promised Abram he would be the father of a nation of people, they would possess
a specific geographical area of land, and He Himself in the Person of the Son
would come and be their Messiah, their King, their Prince of Peace, and
Redeemer. We know this to be the
Abrahamic Covenant which is still in effect today.
But when the fullness
of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the
Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law,
that we (Gentiles
who – were at that time separate from Christ, excluded
from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise,
having no hope and without God in the world) might receive
the adoption as sons (through faith in God’s Gospel message).
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 2:12)
He (Jesus) came to His own (the nation of
Israel), and those who were His own
did not receive Him. (John 1:11)
One
of the reasons I started teaching the Bible many years ago is because there were
so many people teaching and preaching that Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry
included Jew and Gentile alike and I decided people needed to hear what the
Bible really said about this and about other important topics. So, what does the Bible say about this
subject?
When
Jesus Christ began His ministry, by sending out the twelve, He gave them this command: “Do not
go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the
Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, (believe
that I died, was buried, and was resurrected from the dead for your sins? No!
What does your Bible say – preach
saying) ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (Matthew 10:5-7)
This
is in line with God’s Prophetic Program spoken of by the prophets and as outlined
in the Old Testament Scriptures and in conjunction with the promises made to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob concerning the Abrahamic Covenant.
Here’s
another example from Scripture of Jesus being sent ONLY to the “house of Israel.” We have the account of the Syrophoenician
Woman in Matthew 15:21-28. A Canaanite
woman (and a gentile) who cried out to Jesus for mercy because her daughter was
demon possessed. At first, He ignored
her (v23). But when she persisted, and
Jesus’ disciples complained because she wouldn’t go away, Jesus answered
saying, “I was sent only to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel.”
This
begs the question, if Jesus Christ had a ministry to both Jew and Gentile
during His earthly ministry, as so many people claim, why did He command His
apostles to avoid all gentiles when He sent them out to preach about His
kingdom? Why did He and His apostles ignore
the Canaanite woman and her plea for “mercy “initially?
The
answer is simple, once you learn to accurately
handle the word of truth (rightly divide them), Jesus Christ wasn’t sent
to serve the Gentiles. He was sent by the Father to confirm the promises (the covenants) given to the fathers regarding
the Abrahamic Covenant for one. And God is
the Great Promise Keeper! If the LORD
God had gone to the Gentiles with the Gospel of the Kingdom before keeping His
promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He would have “broken” His promise to the
fathers and would not be God.
Let’s
go to verse 9.
Romans 15
9: and for the Gentiles to glorify God (why) for His mercy;
Without
taking the time to “dig deeper” into the topic of the Abrahamic Covenant and
opting to just skim the surface instead, the LORD God promised Abram that he
would the father of a nation of people, they would possess a specific
geographical area of land, and He Himself, in the Person of the Son, would come
and be their Messiah, their King, and their Redeemer. The very last words of this spoken promise
are these: And in you all the families of the earth will be
blessed. (Genesis 12:3). He chose the nation of Israel to be the
people through whom the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would be born because He
could.
But
God’s purpose for Israel was for them to be a kingdom of priests (go-between). They were to be a distinct people, a nation
of missionaries who pointed the lost gentiles to God. At the right time, they would go into the
world and teach others about Him. Of
course they failed at this but this is Bible prophecy so it will come to pass
during the Revelation period when the 144,000 go out into the world preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom once more to those who need to hear some
good news. This is the literal meaning of Matthew 28:19.
Scripture
says what we all deserve is God’s wrath and His just judgment. What we deserve is the same thing Sodom and
Gomorrah received. But what has God done
instead for us? He provided the way back to Himself – a means of reconciliation
through His Son: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to
the Father but through Me.” (John
14:6)
Why
did God do this? He sent His Son to die for the sins of all because of His mercy.
When
Christ died on that Roman cross, He took on all the sins of the world and the accompanying wrath of God. Not only did God pour out His wrath on His
Son for mankind’s sins, but He also poured out His mercy. Now all you and I
have to do to be partakers of God’s mercy
and grace is appropriate these by
faith in the gospel God gave to Paul; the apostle to the Gentiles (1
Corinthians 15:1-4).
I
don’t claim to understand it fully; I just accept it on faith.
(To
be continued)
©
Copyright 2011
GJ
Heitzman’s Ministry
All
Rights Reserved
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