Bible Study - All In (1) - CHRIST'S Commitment to Us - Romans 8:6-21 - October 18, 2020

 

Bible Study – All In (1) – CHRIST’S Commitment to Us – October 18, 2020

This is lesson one in our series entitled, “All In: A Life of Commitment.”

Our focus scripture is Romans 5:6-12, 18-21.

Even at our worst, CHRIST fully committed to love us and bring us to GOD.

The old adage of “when life gets tough the tough gets going.” Living life is tough. When we take our first breath the rest of life is tough.

We who are parents fight for our children and seek the best for them. When they are sick, we care for them. When they have fallen into sin or addictions, I have seen a parent or parents fight hard for their child to get beyond their sin or addiction. Why? It is because they love their child or children. John 3:16-21 gives us an idea of the love GOD has for every person born or to be born upon earth:

¹⁶ For God loved the world in this way:^[e] He gave^[f] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. ¹⁹ This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it,^[g] so that his deeds may not be exposed. ²¹ But anyone who lives by^[h] the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

We begin a new series of study for the next seven (7) weeks:

-         CHRIST’S Commitment to Us

-         Our Commitment to CHRIST

-         Committed to HIS Word

-         Committed to HIS Church

-         Committed to Pray

-         Committed to HIS Worship

-         Committed to HIS Mission

These studies are active studies and some may think, “I or we are home bound and cannot be active.” That is Satan’s lie. Where you are is a sanctuary. Where you and the LORD JESUS come together is a Holy Place because JESUS is there in you and with you.

The overarching statement in your study book on page 11 is “Seek GOD. Seeking GOD is not something we do casually or only when we feel like it. A full commitment to CHRIST means, we intentionally and continually seek after GOD and the things of GOD. As we deepen our walk and commitment to CHRIST, it only deepens our desire to seek HIM, know HIM (my addition – serve HIM) and please HIM.”

So, warriors suit up for battle and rejoice because we are fighting a battle that has already been won, we just have to claim it, in the name of JESUS as we head toward the goal and receive our victory crowns. Let’s explore!

Let’s read Romans 5:6-8:

The Justified Are Reconciled

⁶ For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. ⁸ But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Most of you know that I find Ephesians 1:3-4 exciting “³ Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.^[c]

Equally exciting is the fact that JESUS left HIS home in Glory and willingly came to earth to give HIS sinless life for anyone who will place his or her faith in HIM. When did GOD know you? Read the scripture, “before the foundation of the world –” No one can save himself or herself by doing good works because salvation comes as a gift from GOD through faith in JESUS and GOD’S Grace.

The Apostle Paul wrote in our focus scripture, “at the right time, CHRIST died for the ungodly.” We were helpless to save ourselves through works but we could through faith in GOD e.g. GOD counted Abraham’s faith as righteousness. As we read in Genesis 25:6 - ⁶ Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Guess what? When we accept JESUS as our Savior we are declared righteous before GOD, by GOD, and no longer face the wrath of GOD. GOD hates sin but loves the sinner. We are under GOD’S Grace. GOD’S Grace is not a license to sin but to live knowing that we, as Spirit-born Children of GOD, we belong to GOD.

If this is true then we never have to confess our sins? No! As GOD’S Children we confess our sins to maintain our right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. Consider 1 John 1:6-10:

 ⁶ If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. ⁷ If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

GOD tested Abraham in a number of ways but to me the ultimate test was when GOD told him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, as a burnt offering. That meant that Abraham was going to kill Isaac and reduce him to ashes. But Abraham had the faith that GOD would resurrect Isaac from the burnt ashes. How do we know that? Consider Genesis 22:2-6:

² “Take your son,” he said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

³ So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” ⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the knife, and the two of them walked on together.

This is a foreshadow of GOD sending HIS only SON, JESUS, WHO willingly gave HIS sinless life for all who will place their faith in HIM. That is ultimate love for the vilest person who has ever lived upon earth. Sin is vile to GOD. We try to categorize sin but sin is sin to GOD and GOD required JESUS to give HIS sinless life for the forgiveness of sin. Thus, CHRIST gave HIS life for just you and just me.

In Genesis 3, GOD reveals that HE has HIS plan of salvation already in place as we read:

¹⁴ So the Lord God said to the serpent:

Because you have done this,
you are cursed more than any livestock
and more than any wild animal.
You will move on your belly
and eat dust all the days of your life.
¹⁵ I will put hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.^[d]
He will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.

The offspring of woman is JESUS. If the offspring of woman, then human, yet divine. If human, then he/HE can physically die. Yes, JESUS physically died and GOD resurrected HIM as proof that HE conquered physical death. All who place their faith in JESUS receive eternal life and will never experience physical death. What? Never experience physical death? Yes, you got it and will experience this one day.

I must add the clincher as we read in 1 Corinthians 2:7-9:

⁷ On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ But as it is written,

What no eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no human heart has conceived—
God has prepared these things for those who love him.^[c]

THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!! HOW MUCH MORE! LET’S  EXPLORE!

Let’s read Romans 5:9-11:

⁹ How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. ¹⁰ For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. ¹¹ And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.

All who have placed their faith in JESUS have experienced the overwhelming JOY of salvation. But salvation is only the beginning. There is still much more to come as we obediently serve our LORD as led by the indwelling Holy Spirit. All Spirit-born Christians are on a journey of discovery. Let’s explore!

By placing our faith in JESUS, we have been justified. What does that mean? WOW! Glad you asked. It means just-as-if-I-never-sinned. How can that be? The shed blood of JESUS washes away all of your sin when you place your faith in HIM. Not just some sin but all sin – past, present, future.

What else? All who place their faith in JESUS have been “reconciled to GOD.” There is no longer any separation. All who place their faith in JESUS are one with GOD. Sin had separated us from GOD and the shed blood of JESUS removed the sin barrier and we are at one with GOD.

Consider 2 Corinthians 5:20-21:

²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” ²¹ He (GOD) made the one who did not know sin (JESUS) to be sin^[e] for us, so that in him (JESUS) we might become the righteousness of God.

WOW! This is how much GOD loves us that HE would make HIS only SON, sin!

Now that Spirit-born Christians have experienced Spiritual birth, what do we do with the rest of our lives? We tell others of this Great News. Salvation has come to all of mankind. All can live forever through faith in JESUS. How can that be as we read on -----?

Let’s read Romans 5:12, 18-21 (Focus) But I printed 12-21.)

Death through Adam and Life through Christ (my additions)

Adam and Eve had eternal life until they sinned. At the instant they sinned, they lost their eternal life.

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man (Adam), and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.^[d] 13 In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression. He is a type of the Coming One.

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s (Adam) trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift which comes through the grace of the one-man Jesus Christ overflowed to the many. ¹⁶ And the gift (salvation from sin through faith in JESUS) is not like the one man’s sin (Adam), because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift (because of sin, GOD sent JESUS to break the sin barrier), resulting in justification (for all who place their faith in JESUS).^[e] 17 If by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. (WOW!)

¹⁸ So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act (JESUS gave HIS sinless life upon the cross by the shedding of HIS blood. Why did JESUS have to shed HIS sinless blood? Hebrews 9:22: ²² According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.) there is justification leading to life for everyone. ¹⁹ For just as through one man’s disobedience (Adam) the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s (JESUS, fully human) obedience the many will be made righteous. ²⁰ The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more ²¹ so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The law amplified how we in our human efforts failed to measure up to GOD’S standard of righteousness. JESUS taught there is the physical law and the spirit of the physical law. JESUS used the example of hate. Hate is the same as killing as JESUS expressed in Matthew 5: ²¹ “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder,^[d] and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. ²² But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister^[e] will be subject to judgment. 

We all fail to keep the letter of the law. Our hearts are deceitful and need to be changed. If you have not asked JESUS to forgive you for your sins, pleas do so now and ask JESUS to come into your life and make you HIS child through the miracle of Spiritual birth.

Blessings!!!