Understanding

Scripture

I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. !

~Romans 6:19, NIV

Quote

Justification and Sanctification or two sides of one coin: if your are not being sanctified, there is no reason to believe you have been justified.

~F.F. Bruce {Jack Bailey}

I know Romans 6 is amazing but to be frankly honest, it has been more of a maze to me. I began reading Watchmen Nee right out of seminary and the NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE is based on his commentary of Romans six. The more I read the less I understood. Every time I read this passage, I pray for understanding. I was so encouraged by F.F. Bruce commentary. He said Paul used illustrations about everyday life to help people understand the truths he was teaching. When I read the bible, I read to understand and I am never satisfied when I don’t. Trust me, I have light years to go on Ezekiel, Songs of Solomon and the Revelation. The death of Christ broke sin’s grasp on our lives because we are included in His death. We, our old Adam, died with Christ. That puts closure on the old kingdom {Adam/sin/death}. Baptism is a symbol of this closure. Yet, this is only one side of the coin: We are buried with Him in Baptism {old Adam, the kingdom of darkness} but we are then raised to a new life in a new kingdom {Christ, righteousness, life, light}. We are justified by His atoning blood but raised by the power of His resurrection/life. Now let’s go to Paul’s second analogy in Romans six which is Slavery.

One of our problems is that we live in a totally different culture than Paul and the Romans to whom he is writing. During this period of Roman history, slavery was an institution. It was a business and a way of life. At one time the Romans would not release census figures because they feared that the slaves out numbered the free people. The following is a legal fact: no slave can have two masters–it is impossible. In other words, my slave would not have to respond to you because you have no legal right over him. The slave had no rights: his/her purpose was to serve their master. The surest way for the slave to escape this dreadful situation was to die. A slave who dropped dead on the street no longer had to serve his master. The master could stand over him, scream one command after another, beat him with a whip but the dead slave would not respond. Sin was judged on the cross but sin did not die there, you and I did. Sin is still a master and still barking orders but we are dead and legally we don’t have to respond. We can still sin but we don’t have to; we are not legally bound to sin.

The other side of the coin, which I don’t have time to go into, is the resurrection. We are dead to sin but alive to Christ. This means, we do not have to serve sin; we are free to serve Christ. Instead of being a slave to sin, we get to be slaves of righteousness. When we serve sin we hurt people: when we serve Christ, we help people and I am here to tell you—helping people is a lot more fulfilling than hurting them. Thank YOU Jesus for freeing me to serve YOU.

Jesus breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean;
His blood availed for me
.

Two version…take your pick between David Crowder or the Gaithers

Yesterday was our last day to have lunch with the grands, they start back to school today and most are not happy about it. Chloe says she had rather have her head split open.

Joe David called me yesterday evening and said, “It is coming a flood here and it is coming your way.” I ran outside and put the work truck under the shed then I told June that I was going to the farm to watch it rain of the DBC Pumpkin Patch. Our Youth Pastor slash Media Pastor slash Associate Pastor Josh Melson is a tornado chaser, I am a rain chaser. I drove to the pumpkin patch, no rain. Actually, Joe David was on Highway 36 when he called. When he got home, he had gotten no rain. I followed the storm until I could see the rain. Joe and old Gregg got a good one; Jeff and Jenifer got a shower, old Jack didn’t get a drop. You could roller skate in our garden. The ground is hard as a rock and we have at least 40 more days of this stuff but I aint complaining. It could be a lot worse, I could be in charge. I am thankful this morning that the all wise Heavenly Father is running the show. Amen! On the bright side, our grass has stop growing which means less mowing. By the way, Dian gave me a shirt that I will wear the first night I preach at DBC out doors. It is grass green and has a pic of a man on a riding mower. It reads…THE LAWN RANGER RIDES AGAIN!

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