Tag: Christianity

Digging in Deeper: Romans 9:1-5

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“I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises. The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent,  came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Have you ever known someone who had every opportunity in the world, and yet couldn’t manage to accomplish any of the best things they had the potential to do? That’s an experience that ranges from frustrating to maddening. In some particularly egregious circumstances it can be downright depressing. As we begin our look at Romans 9 today, we find Paul starting a new section. The next three chapters of Paul’s letter answer a question that has been nagging at us over the last few verses. What about Israel? Let’s dive in here and see what Paul has to say about God’s plans for Israel in light of the Gospel.

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Morning Musing: Romans 8:33-34

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“Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Have you ever been accused of something? Were you guilty of the thing you were accused of? If not, how did you defend yourself? If so, what did you do about it? Trying to defend or otherwise clear our name when it has been soiled somehow is no small task. It is made all the more difficult when we are trying to do it on our own. Well, as followers of Jesus, Paul says, we are not alone. Today, let’s take a look with Paul at another of the incredible blessings of the Gospel.

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Digging in Deeper: Romans 8:29-30

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“For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

It’s common for people to talk about what God’s plan for their life is. This happens both confidently in the sense that they believe themselves to be following it closely and accurately, but also questioningly in the sense that they don’t know what it is and want to. What exactly does God want from us? Many things could potentially serve as the answer to that question, but the more important thing is what He wants for us. Paul talks about that some here. Let’s explore what God wants for your life, and how these two verses help us better understand the last one.

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Morning Musing: Mark 10:17-18

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“As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus asked him. ‘No one is good except God alone.’” (CSB – Read the chapter)

What good is God? That’s a question that doesn’t often get asked in church, but it probably should. A good, clear answer to it can give someone a world more confidence in the reasonableness of their faith. On the other hand, a bad answer can wipe someone’s faith out of existence. Even better than a good or bad answer, though, is a philosophically sound one. So then, what good is God? Let’s think on that for a few minutes together today.

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Morning Musing: Romans 8:19-22

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“For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Things in this world are not the way they should be. That’s something every religion acknowledges in one way or another. It’s not just that we’re broken, though. The problem extends to the whole world. Creation itself is broken. Creation itself needs to be restored and set right again. Believe it or not, this is part of the Gospel. Let’s take a look here as Paul explains that creation is looking forward to our redemption as much as we are.

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