It was the Lord Jesus’ zeal for God that led him to drive out from the temple those who had made his Father’s house a house of trade. Later, in Romans chapter twelve, Paul exhorts Christians who lead to do so "with zeal” and instructs all Christians to “not be slothful in zeal”. Clearly, zeal for God can be good, even necessary. However, in this passage, Paul tells us that zeal is not enough because zeal for God cannot make one righteous before God; only faith in Christ can do that.
With these verses, Paul continues his explanation of how it is that God’s word has not failed, a concern raised earlier in verse 6. Here, the apostle’s focus is on reconciling the sovereignty of God in salvation with the reality that so many Jews have rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah. Does this mean that God’s word has failed? Absolutely not! To prove this, Paul quotes two Old Testament prophets, Hosea and Isaiah, who serve as witnesses that it was always God’s sovereign plan to save both Jewish and Gentile people.
This Advent season, we are preparing our hearts to celebrate Jesus’ birth by considering four titles in scripture attributed to Jesus Christ that will help us to behold his greatness. Having first considered the title King of Kings, with this second sermon, we turn our attention to what it means that Jesus is the Lamb of God
Advent means an arrival or coming; the Advent season is a time for God’s people to prepare their hearts to celebrate Jesus’ arrival. This time of preparation involves both looking back to the past and looking forward to the future. We look back to Christ’s first coming, when He was born, and we look forward to Christ’s second coming, when he will come again to judge the living and the dead. This Advent, we will prepare to celebrate Christmas by considering four titles in Scripture attributed to Jesus Christ that will help us to behold his greatness. The first title is King of Kings.
In this week’s passage of Scripture, the apostle Paul continues his teaching on the doctrine of election, and he uses an interesting analogy to help us understand it. Come join us this Sunday as we look into how a potter interacts with his clay.
Is there injustice on God’s part? With these verses, the Apostle Paul provides the answer to this question that many will ask in response to the doctrine of election. His answer is a resounding no, absolutely not! God is not guilty of injustice. To explain why this is, Paul directs us to the truth of God's sovereign mercy. While the reality that God is free to have mercy on whomever God chooses may lead to more questions, it should also lead all who have experienced God’s mercy to rejoice and give thanks to the God of mercy.
In Romans 9, Paul answers several questions about men and the conditions of their salvation. But before he begins to entertain those questions, he rightly grounds the discussion in the only proper place it ought to be grounded — in Him who calls.
The reality of God’s sovereignty in salvation and the promise that no one and nothing can separate the Christian from God’s love are reasons for all who are in Christ to rejoice. However, these same truths will lead many to ask important and sometimes difficult questions. One such question is what about Israel, what about the Jews? In Romans 9 through 11, the Apostle Paul addresses this question; in doing so, he not only provides answers, but he gives us an example of what it means to be burdened for those we know and love who are separated from Christ.
Paul brings the magnificent eighth chapter of Romans to a close by setting before us two truths that are precious to all who are in Christ. The first truth declared in the previous verses is that because of the work of Jesus Christ, God is for us. The second truth, proclaimed to us in the final verses of the chapter, is that nothing and no one will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul began the great chapter eight of Romans with this most glorious announcement, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Having explained why those in Christ Jesus are not condemned, Paul ends this great chapter by assuring all those who are in Christ with two most glorious and precious truths: the first truth is that God is for us.
This passage contains a most precious truth that has strengthened many Christians in times of suffering: all things work together for good. Following this precious truth is what many have referred to as the golden chain of redemption. This unbreakable chain reveals God’s sovereign work in salvation and provides the guarantee that all things will work together for good.
Paul continues to lead his readers, as he has all throughout chapter 8, to a greater understanding of who the new believer is in Christ, what it means to live in the Spirit, and what will be theirs because of God’s mercy and grace towards them. In this passage, He gives the believer great hope in their sufferings and contends that not only does creation long for the day when glory will be revealed, but we too, as believers, long for that day. We will see how the Spirit helps those in Christ to have assurance of their inheritance and future glory as they await that day in patient hope, and how He also helps them in their suffering and weakness until the glorious day that they obtain it.
The Lord Jesus Christ suffered greatly to save his people and made it clear that those who follow him would suffer too. While our suffering is a great difficulty, in this passage, Paul encourages the Christian by comparing our suffering in this life with the glory that is to be revealed, a glory that even creation longs to see. May all who trust in Christ take heart and press on with the reality that the glory coming will far surpass the suffering in this life.
Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the Helper. In this passage, we see some of the wonderful ways that the Holy Spirit helps us. For it is the Holy Spirit who leads us into holiness, thereby making us more like Christ, and it is the Holy Spirit who comforts us by assuring us that we are God’s children.
At the very moment God's effectual call goes forth and a once-ruined sinner responds with repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that person's spirit is alive forever — born anew of God's own Spirit. But what about the body? What about the "body of death" that Paul and all fellow Christians so desperately desire deliverance from?
When will that take place in God's plan of salvation? And what is God accomplishing as we wait for it?
By God’s sovereign grace, those who are in Christ Jesus have been saved from condemnation. This great salvation impacts where those in Christ will spend eternity and how they think and live today. For those in Christ walk according to the Spirit and set their minds on the things of the Spirit. In this passage, Paul explains how this great salvation has come about and contrasts those who are in Christ with those who are not.
Paul’s epistle to the Romans is considered by many to be the greatest exposition of the gospel, and the eighth chapter of Romans has been called the greatest chapter in the Bible. This great chapter begins with a most glorious gospel announcement. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” In this first sermon in Romans 8, we will consider why this is a most glorious announcement and some of what makes Romans eight so great.
There are two types of people, the righteous and the wicked. This song of thanks, which praises the works of God’s hands, depicts the differences between the righteous and the wicked. These differences include who we worship, how we live, and where we will spend eternity. May this psalm strengthen the righteous to give thanks to God and call the wicked to turn from sin and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.