About Romans 5

My Fellowship Group is walking through Romans. A couple of months back, it was my turn to lead the study. Here is what I learned. Because Romans 5 begins with “Therefore”, begin reading at Romans 4:20-25 and go to the end of Romans 5. Maybe the information contained here will give you a deeper understanding as I believe it has me.

Rom. 4:20-25 He did not waiver in faith at the promises of God, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, being fully convinced that what He had promised He was ALSO ABLE TO PERFORM. And THEREFORE “it was accounted to him for righteousness”.

That was not just written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but it was written for US! And it SHALL BE IMPUTED TO US WHO BELIEVE IN HIM WHO RAISED UP JESUS OUR LORD FROM THE DEAD, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

Rom. 5:1-11 So since we’ve been justified by that kind of faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace which we [now] stand in, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

But wait! There’s more!

We also glory (used to refer to an aspect of the Christian life. The idea expressed is. that those who are children of God will receive and share the glory of God, just as Jesus Christ did. In this sense glory describes the goal towards which the Christian life moves)

in tribulations (trials and tribulations are more than just hardship. In trials of unfortunate circumstances, our faith is tested and our devotion to Christ can grow from this suffering),

because we know that it produces perseverance (continuing steadfastly despite the difficulties or delays we face. The Bible teaches us to persevere in faith, trusting God to fulfill his promises. When we face difficulties we can trust that God understands our situation and sees our distress),

And that produces character (who we are because of our relationship with Christ. It is something that can be built and learned as we follow Him. Furthermore, genuine Christian character is not just about our personality or our disposition. It is a description of who we are as Christians ̶ and what we are called to be in our entirety),

which [then] produces hope (the confident expectation of and longing for the promised blessings of righteousness. The scriptures often speak of hope as anticipation of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, and to trust in, wait for, look for, or desire something or someone with confidence — the proper response to God’s promises).

A side note: We can substitute “create” for the word “produce”. In the beginning God created us in His Image — our imaginations, our thoughts and our words can create just like His. What we imagine, think and say can create/produce positive or negative things in our lives. Remember the power of life and of death is in the tongue — Proverb 18:22.

But wait! There is still more!

Because hope (the confident expectation of and longing for the promised blessings of righteousness) does not disappoint (fail to fulfill our expectations or prevent from being realized) — WHY? Because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us [yet another Gift from our Father]. What does that mean? In some way, this simple phrase summarizes the whole message of Christianity. The Gospel is the story of God, Who IS Love, taking on human flesh in order to love us back to Himself. Faith is our recognition of His love for us. Life is the adventure of letting Him love us and loving Him back.

Why? Because when we were still without strength — meaning we were “powerless”. Before our justification by Christ’s sacrifice, we had no way to appeal to God for vindication. In our guilt, we could not stand before Him, just as Job and Bildad said.

But in God’s perfect time Christ died for the ungodly — namely all of us, for who among men is sinless? Yet, God did not commission Jesus to come and die just for the Noah’s, Abraham’s, Moses’ or even the Peter’s, John’s, Paul’s, and Timothy’s of the world. Hallelujah! Instead, while we were still actively IN OUR SINS, Christ died for us. You know, John records Jesus as saying “no greater love has a man then to lay down his life for his friends” — John 15:13. But look what Paul says God through Christ Jesus did for us in 5:10! Obviously, God’s love is MUCH GREATER than man’s love!

I want to add here that we Christians tend to get it twisted. We offer our version of God’s love to those we deem worthy of salvation, mainly to those we hope to see in heaven — those that we would lay our lives down for, maybe.

But it isn’t about our love or our lives. It’s about God’s love and the sacrifice His Son made for ALL of mankind. THAT, my friends is the ultimate inclusion — equality across the board. He leveled the ground for every single person at the foot of the cross.

How we choose to respond to His invitation is up to us. The consequences of our choice cannot then be blamed upon God — Matthew 22:1-14.

There is so much more to the story than having been justified by His blood — (the act by which God moves a willing person from the state of sin (injustice) to the state of grace (justice). We will also be saved from wrath through Him. We need to be careful how we read this. Paul is not implying that there is a question about whether those who are in Christ will experience God’s wrathful, angry judgment on sin. Those who have expressed saving faith—true believers—absolutely will not. Instead, Paul is simply arguing that the second idea is obvious, once the first is accepted. Writing today, Paul might have said, “Since A is true, then B is really, really true.” Both ideas are connected, and both are true. In other words, those who are justified in God’s eyes, through faith in what Christ has done, will certainly never suffer God’s wrath for our sin. This is the context of Paul’s use of the word “we” in this passage: those who are saved by grace through faith.

Now, check out Gal. 3:6-9

Rom. 5:12-21 it is easier for me to understand how Paul explained this in 1 Cor. 15:21. But it brought up a question for me for quick minute. I think the world has the idea that Adam and Eve ate the fruit, thereby taking sin into their bodies. However, Jesus specifically says in Matthew 15:11-20 that it isn’t what goes into the mouth/body that defiles a person. It is what comes from his mouth, i.e. his thoughts and heart. Had the fruit made them defiled, it would have passed through the body and out, and their descendants would not have been affected. However, the act of eating the fruit in direct disobedience, the lack of trust in their Creator — the unbelief — well that was accounted to them as unrighteousness. And their unrighteousness brought death. For whatever reason, the freedom of choice that God created us with always seems to question Him, to rebel against Him, to act contrary to His will and way. So, no, there is not one of us without sin, even if our sin isn’t like Adam’s and Eve’s. And none of us will escape natural death, hence why each and every one of us is in need of a savior — THE Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord, Son of the Living God.

The Beauty of God’s Character

• The beauty of God’s Ability is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Authority is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Abundance is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Beauty is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Benevolence is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Blessedness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Bride is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Brokenness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Charity is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Children is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Church is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Compassion is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Comfort is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Commandments is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Consistency is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Courage is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Covenant is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Creation is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Cross is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Deliverance is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Delight is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Dedication is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Design is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Determination is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Domination is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Encouragement is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Example is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Extravagance is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Faithfulness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Favor is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Freedom is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Fullness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Forgiveness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Friendship is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Forebearness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Gentleness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Generosity is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Glory is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Grace is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Greatness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Goodness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Good News is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Good Will is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Healing is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Hope is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Humility is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Holiness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Inheritance is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Innocence is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Instruction is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Intercessory is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Impartiality is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Joy is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Justness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Justice is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Kindness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Kingdom is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Kinship is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Law is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Leadership is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Life is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Limitlessness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Light is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Loveliness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Lovingkindness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Majesty is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Mercy is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Magnificence is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Might is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Meekness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Mission is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Omnipotence is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Omnipresence is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Omniscience is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Order is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Patience is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Peace is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Perfection is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Perseverance is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Praise is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Power is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Radiance is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Righteousness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Riches is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Restraint is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Restoration is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Reconciliation is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Strength is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Servitude is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Sustenance is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Spirit is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Shelter is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Selflessness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Salvation is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Sacrifice is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Tenderheartedness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Touch is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Triumph is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Truth is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Trustworthiness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Way is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Wholeness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Willingness is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Wisdom is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Worship is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Zeal is found in His Word.
• The beauty of God’s Word is found wholly in Jesus
• John 1 Complete Jewish Bible
• 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing made had being. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not suppressed it.
• …………………………………………………
• 9 This was the true light, which gives light to everyone entering the world. 10 He was in the world — the world came to be through him — yet the world did not know him.
• …………………………………………………
• 12 But to as many as did receive him, to those who put their trust in his person and power, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 not because of bloodline, physical impulse or human intention, but because of God. 14 The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw his Sh’khinah, the Sh’khinah of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.
• ………………………………………………
• 16 We have all received from his fullness, yes, grace upon grace. 17 For the Torah was given through Moshe; grace and truth came through Yeshua the Messiah. 18 No one has ever seen God; but the only and unique Son, who is identical with God and is at the Father’s side —he has made him known.
• TLD07262023

How to Follow Your Heart

We hear a lot of talk these days about listening to and following our hearts, and about being true to ourselves. We hear arguments about it, don’t we; about the dangers of following or not following our hearts or not being true to ourselves.

I want to show you through Bible Scriptures why following your heart is dangerous and wrong. But I also want to show through Bible Scriptures how you can come to the place where you can follow your heart with joy and in safety.

First, let’s understand the dangers and the damage of following our heart:

• Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. Proverbs 12:25

• Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12

• There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief. The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways. The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless. Proverbs 14:12-16

• As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. Proverbs 27:19

• The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:9-10

• You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28

• For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

• You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:34

• And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Mark 7:20-23

• For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21

Thank God that is not the end of the story!

If you are still reading (and I pray that you are), there are many more Bible verses that instruct us on how we can have a pure heart. Let’s explore these Scriptures and learn how we can have a heart that we can follow confidently and safely, knowing that we are thinking, acting and speaking what is right.

• But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Joshua 22:5

• “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” Joshua 24:23

• But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 1 Samuel 12:24

• But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

• Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. Psalm 24:3-4

• Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24

• Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

• The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17

• Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11

• Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

• Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. Psalm 119:2

• Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Psalm 119:36

• My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Proverbs 3:1-2

• Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Proverbs 3:3-4

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

• My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart. Proverbs 4:20-21

• Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23

• The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin. Proverbs 10:8

• A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Proverbs 14:30

• A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:13

• A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

• My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed. Proverbs 23:15

• Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. Ecclesiastes 9:7

• So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless. Ecclesiastes 11:10

• Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Song of songs 8:6

• You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

• “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12

• Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:13

• Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8

• Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ Matthew 22:37

• Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Mark 11:23

• To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. Mark 12:33

• For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:10

• Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

• The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1:5

• See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Hebrews 3:12

• For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

• Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22

• Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

Now, we clearly know what the difference is between a deceitful heart and a clean heart. We have learned by the guidance of the Holy Spirit what our part is in having a clean heart.

So, what does it require to keep our hearts from returning to their deceitful state?

• I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1

• But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. Psalm 13:5-6

• May these words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

• Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. Psalm 26:2

• Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. Psalm 27:3

• My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

• I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. Psalm 119:7

• I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. Psalm 119:10

• I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

• Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. Psalm 119:111

If we are willing to entrust our hearts to the One who created us and give ourselves back to Him, He promises His faithfulness to do what only He can do through the work of Christ Jesus upon the cross.

• He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

• And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, Ezekiel 11:19

• I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

• And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

• Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5

When we surrender our will and our ways back to God, we can have confidence in the Holy Spirit that our thoughts, actions, and speech are of the same character and mindset as our Savior, Christ the Lord, for we are one with Him when we are born again.

Because of this, it pleases our Father to honor His promises toward us, knowing that our desires are also His. And that is how you will know when you can safely follow your heart.

• May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4

• Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

TLD08012023