For the final blog in the class Doctrine of Salvation I am going to blog on the last chapter of Romans. There was a text that as I read the chapter jumped out at me as an encouragement for my journey of salvation. The text is Romans 16 verse 19 and 20, “For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil” then in verse 20, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” The text talks first about the spread of the obedience they have kept. As part of a new creation in Christ they have by their works of faith has spread to all. Then the counsel of Paul was brought to their ears from the reading of the letter, “wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.” Paul understood that just because they were obedient now they might not always be obedient. This counsel might have been a struggle as the book of Romans was dealing with throughout, so Paul gave light to the end of their tunnel. Paul put in the letter the end of the great controversy, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” This part of salvation is crucial. We will not reach salvation if we are sadden and discouraged by the struggles with deceptions from Satan. God wants us to focus on Him victorious. I believe that is why Paul also puts the image of crushing Satan under your feet.
Assignment three Romans chapter 1 Paul writes to the church at Rome. He writes this letter to introduce the gospel that was given to him by Jesus Christ. Paul did not establish the church at Rome but he desires to visit them. He writes this letter in expectation of a near visitation to the church members. He tells them that he has received his apostleship from Christ and that he is not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power unto salvation. Both for the Greek and the Jew, and the just shall live by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul then begins to tell of the plight that he sees the world falling into. He begins by telling them that god has made himself available to man through the revelation of Jesus Christ. Mankind has not been susceptible to the revelation of Christ even though it is quite obvious that Christ was and is in fact god in the flesh. Due to this blatant denial of divinity the god has given mankind over to a reprobate mind. in which he or she will do the unseemingly atrocious acts that debase and deprave mankind below the very beasts that they were given dominion over. Paul labels the attributes to having a moral depraved and debased mind and states that those who are committing such things are worthy of death and still they find pleasure in doing the very things that are displeasing to god. He states that though they profess themselves to be wise they have become fools and turned the image of the god into something corruptible and defiled. Even though all around there is evidences that show that God is and forever shall be.
Response to Youngkyo Suh said... Assignment 6 Youngkyo Suh
That was an interesting blog written on the dynamics of Salvation article. Good idea on the cross being more dynamic than we think. Nice use of Romans 6 on the central focus of the great controversy.
Assignment 7 God’s DNA Test Nowadays Many People Do DNA Test to Prove If a Person Is There Biological Child. If God Did a DNA Test on You What Would Be the Result? Within our churches though a lot of Christian’s claim to be God’s children, for many there are strong doubts over whether God is our biological Father. Many who say that God is their father, look nothing like Him? They may say that God is our dad but if we do not have God’s hereditary traits he cannot accept them us as his own. Romans 8 teaches that the confirmation that we are God’s children is the Holy Spirit. Through Him we receive the genetic traits of our Father as a sure sign that we are His. Today we must allow Spirit to implant the genes that identify you as God’s children. When the fruit of love’s love is found in our hearts, He not only has legal rights to us, intimate fatherly relationship with the God of heaven. If the traits are not displayed in our lives, He will have God will say concerning us, “that is not my child.” Apart from the Spirit we will not have God’s genetic information and it will show up that we do not belong to Him. For the reality is, though one might be in the family circle, if they do not have the family genes they are not apart of God’s family. Fortunately, God is still taking adoption papers. His Son Jesus Christ gives everyone who trust Him the right to become God’s child. This allows the Spirit to supernaturally make us into genuine children of God. A person won’t need to pretend to be a family member because they will naturally have the family resemblance. They won’t have to try to work their way into heaven but will inherit heaven as their family right. And daily the Holy Spirit will continually transmit the family genes so that we can constantly display the family features and share in the family privileges.
Assignment 8 Living Sacrifices This chapter of Romans 12 highlights the goal of the entire gospel which is to bring us to the point of surrendering oneself to Jesus Christ. Paul says that in light of the mercies of God we should present ourselves to God as living sacrifices. Only seeing what God has given for me could motivate me to give of myself for Him. I have always struggle with presenting myself to God. I’ve always asked how do I give myself to Him? Now I realize that it is Christ sacrifice that initiates and enables my own. Paul also specified that God wants a living sacrifices, which means that God doesn’t simply want my ritual sacrifice, what he really wants is my life. He’s wants me to present myself to Him as a wife would yield all of herself the intimate affections of her husband. What he wants is the life, the real me, to give my entire being over to being loved by Him. God wants me to present my life as signed blank sheet that He fills out as he sees fit. God wants me to be like the little girl who was under a Christmas tree surrounded with gifts when she wrapped her head with a red ribbon and turn to her Father and said look daddy” I’m a present.” Jesus wants us to do the same, covered by the atoning blood of Christ; I can give myself as a living holy gift. Like this child I can live knowing that the best thing I can give is me, my intimacy, my affections, and my life.
Assignment 9 Romans 12 Reflection In reading Roman’s twelve I want to see how the gospel applies to Christian life. According to Paul, the mercies of God leads to radical Christian living that forces us to do something that is the outflow of who we are in Christ. As Paul says it is what Christ has done for us and who he is to us that motivate us to sacrifice our self to God. As living sacrifices God moves us to present ourselves to him, to offer up ourselves to Him, to give up/give over everything that makes up who we are to God everyday of our lives. We are willing to sacrifice our ideas, desires, and pleasures, give up ourselves and let go of ourselves for God. The Christian has a duty to willing offered themselves to God as a living sacrifice. This is what worship is, humble sacrifice and all out surrender. A living sacrifice is one who is all God’s they are no longer their own. They become God’s property, they are God, owed, God controlled, God possessed. They live for God, they live to do what God wants. As a living sacrifice to God, I am committed out of willing obligation to God’s will for their life. This Christian sacrifice must be of a certain character: 1. It must be holy 2. It must be acceptable 3. It is a outflow of spiritual worship So what does a sacrificed Christian look like? A truly sacrificed Christian will and stay conformed. A truly sacrificed Christian will undergo transformation, which takes place through the renewing of the mind. A truly sacrificed Christian will be able to discern God’s perfect will, and we will have the spiritual understanding that God’s will is always good, acceptable and perfect. As a result a truly sacrificed Christian will be committed to doing God’s perfect will.
The Power of the Gospel See a church in need of a fresh dose of the gospel…. In the letter to the Romans, we encounter a man by of Paul, he begins his letter by establishing his personal relationship to the church of Christ, he identifies him self by three titles, a servant, an apostle and one set apart for the gospel of God. A few verses down in chapter one of Romans declares his obligation to the Gospel. His words are I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because it is the miraculously power of God to save all who believe. Earlier in his life however, we see a totally different Paul that the one we see in Romans. In the book of Acts we don’t see an apostle or servant of Christ rather we see a man bent on persecuting God’s church and stopping the spread of this gospel. In Acts Paul is man who needs to experience the power of the gospel. We see a man who knew the law, but never knew his true soul poverty. We see a man who knows everything about the bible, yet he did not know Christ. Paul had a lot going for him, he was a very promising theologians of his time, he was apart of the religious elite and he live his life believing he was doing the work of God. Paul himself said, if there is any man who should have confidence in the flesh it is me. Paul’s whole world was about to be turned upside down. In the brightness of day God appeared to Paul, knocked him off his high horse and confronted him with his true condition, of which he later wrote that He is chief of sinners whom Jesus came to save. On the Damascus Road Paul experienced for the first time in his life the power of the gospel. He had been exposed to religious things, he has excelling on a human scale, but although Paul was seeming doing well in the area of religious life, up to that point he never truly experience the good news of Jesus power to save even the worst of sinners. For the rest of his life, Paul lived this gospel, he was a living testimony of its power and he obligated his life to preaching of God’s power to save to all who would hear.
Assignment 11 Romans 5 Reflection The last section of Romans 5 discussed the first and second Adam. According to Paul all humanity is connected with the first Adam (the natural and legal head of the human race) as depraved and guilty sinners, and so are included in the sentence of death which God pronounced on him. However, all who are connected with the last Adam, Jesus, through repentance and faith in His redeeming work, are forgiven, have ‘received the free gift of righteousness’, and so ‘have passed from death to life’ (Colossians 1:14; Romans 5:17; 1 John 3:14).
Assignment 12 Romans 3 Reflection The Law and Gospel
There are certain things that the law CANNOT DO and there are certain things that the law CAN DO. According to this verse, what is the law unable to do? It is unable to justify sinful man. But this same verse teaches that the law can give men the knowledge of sin. It can show man his utter sinfulness. The purpose of the law may be illustrated by a MIRROR. As I carry on the activities of the day, I may somehow get dirt on my face and not even realize it. A mirror serves a wonderful purpose of showing me that I have a dirty face. It shows me that I have a problem. But the mirror cannot wash away the dirt! Likewise, God's holy law can show me that I am a guilty sinner (incapable of keeping God’s holy commandments), but it can never save me. It can only condemn me and show me that I need a Saviour. Just as the mirror should drive you to the soap and water, so the Law should drive you to the LAMB of God who is able to save you and take away your sins!
Assignment 13 Romans 8 In my reflection on Romans 8 my last posting just wanted to see the role of the Spirit in obedience. How man can keep the law through the Holy Spirit? According to Paul, it is through the Spirit of God based on Christ death and resurrection that man is enable to fulfill the law in us. Though the Holy Spirit believers gain the righteous standard of the law - love. Once the righteous requirements of the law is fulfilled in us we can them to live according to God’s law operating in the Spirit of love to others.
Joel I definitely agree that the revelation of God has been made available to man and it is through man's rejection of that revelation we see the consequences in man's very nature in their sinfulness acts and moral depravity.
Nancy that was a very powerful thoughts you shared about the atonement of Christ. Showing that it is not simply there for past forgiveness of sin at the cross put that it has present value in as it is applied to the believers life here and now. Clear and powerful aspect of Ellen White's emphasis!
Assignment 10 Alexander Rybachek Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Chapter 10 I found interesting because it explains the mistake Jews had committed in not receiving Christ as Savior and Messiah. The text is saying that reason behind the refusal of Christ was: For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God (Romans 10:3). The submission to God’s righteousness. This is very strong imperative statement. We are not used to this kind of language when we deal with theology in XXI century. We obey IRS, governments, laws and regulations of earthly powers, but not God’s righteousness, because God’s righteousness seems to be such an easy thing to obtain – just enjoy your being in the church. However we see that God’s righteousness requires submission and is not something to take easy as a joke. I am a wrestler and I know what submission means in reality. When the opponent grabs your body so it becomes impossible to breath of go through the pain you submit by hitting the mat or tatami. This is forced submission. But have no other way but submit. Christ yet is waiting for us to submit deliberately. It is so much different with God – He provides everything for benevolent submission yet He is patiently waiting for our submission. Yet our own benevolent submission is very hard to obtain, because we sometimes are stick to our sins and egos. Thus Paul says this was the reason for our own refusal of Christ as savior – we pursue our own righteousness that has NOTHING to do with Christ’s righteousness. Later on in the text Paul would say that the righteousness of God is available 24/7, “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:8-9). Also "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved"(Romans 10:13). Thus we see that the salvation is near to everyone who believes. In order to believe is enough to hear, that is why Paul exclaims with OT prophet "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!" (Romans 10:15). This is true and simple Gospel. – we have to submit to God’s righteousness and forget about our own righteousness. Our righteousness was obtained by Christ on the Cross of Calvary, but our own righteousness brought Him there.
Assignment #11 Romans 11 Alexander Rybachek I remember taking Exegesis in Romans class and the discussion we had on chapter 11. The chapter is reach in paradoxes and controversial opinions on what Paul had in view when he was writing these words. I remember there was an issue with recognizing that we are not the root of faithful people. The root is the Israel and we are the branches. The issue was whether we are supposed to be exulting ourselves against others who fall apart from the faith. Paul is amazing: Romans 11:11-12 But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! We are enriched by the rejection of Jews with the word of Jesus Christ. Paul’s logic is simple – if the rejection of Christ by Jews enriches Gentiles in a marvelous way, how much more their acceptance of Jesus will enrich the Gentiles? I like that kind of mentality. This is in harmony with Pauline theology when in Rom 8:28 he would say that for those who love God all things will work for good. Thus if God is able to use the rejection of His name for good, how much more He is able to use acceptance of His name for greater good! This is the message for my churches – God is able to work every evil thing for our good if we trust in Him. I do not know How, but He is able. When it comes to salvation many church members are confused and do not realize this quality of God to make everything working for our good. Thus they are trying to work their own salvation. They have to read this passage where Paul explains omnipotence of God in salvation. This is the right perspective to start with. Without this perspective in mind it is hard to go in any theological discussions. For example, I wrote my paper on Sanctification and Perfectionism in Historical Context. I have read a lot of material and by the end of that process I was completely lost. I did not know whether I am saved and how I am to be saved. I lost the right perspective. I did not have it before the research and did not find it reading the books. So I had to go down to the basics of salvation – God is able to save us. The 11th chapter proves it from different angle – even the rejection of Jesus Christ God the Father is able to use for His glory.
Assignment 12 Alexander Rybachek Romans 12 Romans 11 ends with powerful doxology passage: Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 "For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?" 35 "Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?" 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. This is the end of another section of Romans. The following section will have different contents, however we will see Pauline logic in action. The way these two parts of Romans are united is a good example of Pauline way thinking. After such exultation follows practical application of how saved person behaves like. It is to be noticed that the participles are used here to express cohortative. For example in Rom 12:12 te elpidi hairontes “rejoice in hope” is translated as imperative. However we do not have direct imperative here. It is very easy to confuse desire and wish of the speaker with the imperative. I grew up in conservative environment and quite often I have heard the imperative “rejoice” from people who were far from real joy as earth from the sun. all the chapter is in that key. We are to understand the entire chapter as a description of the life in Christ rather than I command to live Christlike without His help. My point here is to demonstrate small twist of the language when we speak of our salvation. God requires us to submit ourselves to God first and then He shows what it looks like to be one with Him. We start differently – with imperative and no hope for those who do not perform well. The structure of Romans implies that first goes transformation, death or crucifixion of self, exaltation of Jesus on the throne of our hearts, complete dedication of our lives to Christ, and only after that we have the description of Christlike life. We like to jump straight to Christlike life missing all the previous steps. No wonder people come and leave the church in despair with no hope in the future – they tried their best in Christlike life and of cause failed regardless of the sincerity of their intents. Thus Rom 12:12 te elpidi hairontes is not to be understood as an imperative per se, but as a result of the right steps to Christ. Chapter 12 is an amazing example of what Christ is able to produce in our lives if Romans 1-11 are not missing in our walk with Christ.
Assignment 13 Alexander Rybachek On practical application of Romans… In my last reflection of what I have been studied in the Doctrine of Salvation I would like to add something to my previous reflection. I had written in the last reflection that the imperatives that we see in the practical part of Romans are not to be understood as something that has to be accomplished by itself. Like: give me 5 things I should do to be saved. And Christian gurus are sending you to the end of Romans saying: “this is you what shall do and will be saved.” No. This was not Pauline intent. His motive was to illustrate what the Christlike life of a Christian. It is the result that is described in Rom 12-16, not the striving or target. The target of Christian is Christ Himself, and the rest is the result of Christ abiding in an individual. The other side of the coin is that some may say – I do not need any prove of Christlike life. God is in my heart and I do not care about the outside evidence. This is wrong as well. Even Rom 12-16 are describing Christlike life not as a target, but as a result, it may be also said that without right result the true target – that is Jesus and His abiding presence in our hearts - is not achieved. So these two things are important, but have to follow in their sequence. However they are impossible one without another. The right sequence helps us to avoid heresies and unbalanced views. Another verse I would like to discuss is Romans 13:10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Love is the fulfillment of the law, but we cannot say that love is the target of our Christlike life as well. Love is the fulfillment, but the target is still Christ Himself. God is love – this is one of the descriptions of His Divine character. There is no doubt that love best describes God’s reign and authority. But love is the description of God, His attribute. It cannot include all of God’s identity. Thus we still need to be focused on God and the fulfillment of God’s law (love) is only an indicator whether we are on the right track. I do not try to refuse the Bible text, I try to read the text the way it is written without additions that we have made during the ages. For example, a woman says to pastor: “God is love and I feel love for this gentleman that is not my husband. I know I am married to another man, but if God is love and I feel such a wonderful feeling towards this individual, than this must come from God.” This is the example of the wrong reading of the text. Love was not the goal itself. God is the center of everything and I doubt that lady would say the same thing after she would read clearly that God’s law is best expressed in love. If love is not supported by God’s law than this is not love at all. People will find themselves excuses for committing sins anyway, but I want that less and less people would use Bible text as green light for their sinful desires. We have to be focused on the Ruler, Perfecter, and Savior Christ Jesus, and the practical life will prove His presence in our lives. But if we are focused on the rules and perfection without knowing the Ruler and the Perfecter – we are predestined to fail in our faith. It is just the matter of time when it will happen
Assignment #6 Alexander Rybachek Romans chapter 6 after the description of the gift of Jesus Christ in previous chapter starts describing the benefits of gift of Jesus. The life in Christ Jesus is supposed to be the life without sin. Death to sin is death assimilated with the death of Christ. But the dead man is no longer sinning. That is why Paul stresses the idea of death in this chapter. There is no way for converted Christian to live in sin. We are dead to sin after the conversion. Paul excludes the possibility of volitional life in sin after death to sin (Romans 6:6-7 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.) Thus the freedom from sin is leading us to question: now what? If all that we did before was sin and sinful life after death where do we go? Paul never leaves the reader without hope. Romans 6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. Also Romans 6:11-12 says: Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. I was very uncertain of what it really means to be dead to sin. Once my friend took me for a walk into a beautiful cemetery. As we walked he explained that people that were buried there were no longer sinning. They are obviously dead. Satan has no longer power over them. That what it means to be dead to sin. If we are dying for sin and live for Christ - Satan is not able to do anything with us. Yes, there is always a possibility for relapse, but relapse is not necessary. When I speak about relapse I do not speak about some of the sins that we commit as sinner. We will never become completely free from sin unless Jesus comes or we physically die. But I refer here to the life in sin (Romans 6:2 How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?). We should not be depressed with sins that we commit along the way to heaven. Rather we should worry about not living in the life of sin on the way to heaven. That is the difference – our direction. Even if we take David and his sin – that was not his direction of life. His life was in God, but on the way to heaven he committed adultery and murder. The life of a converted Christian is full of trials – devil is working hard on that. But at the same time his life should be overflowing with the gift of Jesus Christ. As we saw in previous chapter Christ is more than we need. Thus the joy of Christianity is not in a certain state of philosophical purity – but life full of Jesus Christ. This is what Paul is talking about when he says: But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life (Romans 6:22). Because: the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) Indeed this is the result of life with Jesus – eternity, but eternity is not the goal, it is a result. The goal is still – Jesus Christ and life in Him.
Response to Young Suh’s assignment 12 … Thanks for posting concerns on double predestination. I struggled with the concept people have created for a long time. Everything that is stretched comes to the matter of elite and minor class people. Thus we have with predestination in human view those that were predestined to be saved and those who were supposed to perish from the eternity. Unbelievable - we create gods according to our image. We like to have elite class and to belong to it. We do not like elite when we do not belong there. Thus I am always suspicious when people claim to objectivity by making elite group on subjective basis. Thanks Young Suh.
Response to Mathew Feeley, Assignment 10, Romans 10 I see that the texts you have chosen to reject the idea of predestination of people regardless of their choice are good once. My question is: these texts are more dealing with the ability of human choice. That is fine, however the people who are talking about predestination to life or death regardless choice say that even choices are predestined as well. How to respond to this statement by using the Scripture? Thanks for reflection
Response to Nancy Thomas Assignment 14 Nancy thanks for your reflection. I enjoyed reading it. I agree with you on the use of the Jewish festivals for Christians. We are not obliged to keep them. As you have earlier stated New Testament does not require us to do so. However I see that we may learn from those holidays a lot in sense of being more grateful than we are as Christians. Old Testament has its own festival to thank God for the cross – Passover. Other festivals were dealing about different events including regular labor, freedom from other things, etc. I wonder if we would benefit from learning the way Jews were able to thank God for His involvement in their lives. Even at the time of harvest was a festival. We have only thanksgiving only. Besides the cross that we should celebrate 24/7 we are to learn from them how to thank God from everything. What do you think Nancy?
Response to Kevin Solomon Assignment 10 Thanks a lot for biographical sketch of Paul before and after Jesus. Everyone who meets Jesus is never the same person – transformation takes place. If people accept the person of Christ the transformation is for good, if people reject the person of Christ – the opposite happens. But the person of Christ is unique – He never lives you indefinite. I appreciate you describing Paul in need of Jesus even Paul had everything he needed in earthly sense. Yet when Jesus calls you and you see who He is you leave everything for just to be able to hear another word from Him. Thanks for reflection.
ASSIGNMENT 4 ROMANS 2 Romans chapter eight is a pivotal chapter in relationship to salvation. This chapter begins to explain the spiritual nature of the relationship between mankind and divinity. Bible states that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who no longer walk in the flesh but after the spirit. This a key point for if one understand what it means to walk in the spirit then they must also recognize the element of walking after the flesh. I think that it is the Christians duty to understand how he or she walks. As peter denounced Christ, upon his admission that he would be crucified, many Christians today are walking after the spirit of the world and flesh rather than the spirit of god. This chapter speaks on being spiritually minded rather than carnally minded. The carnal mind cannot please god nor does it seek after the things of god. The carnal mind is in outright rebellion to god and will not heed nor listen to the instructions given by the savior. While in contrast the spiritual mind is capable of following after the principles of the kingdom of god and is also a prerequisite for being a son or daughter of god. This spiritual mind is the mind that makes one a true Christ and following after the spiritual mind in fact is in essence being a son or daughter of go. Romans chapter eight is packed with a plethora of unpackaged elements that help the Christian to live out the sanctified life.
One aspect of romans eight that is of key import is the role of the spirit in prayer. The bible states in we do not know what to pray for but the spirit prays for us with groans and utterances that we cannot understand with our limited human cogitations. The father in heaven understands what is the mind of the spirit and answers accordingly. I find that god has richly blessed us as we journey closer and closer to him. What more could we need than the help of the spirit to communicate with the all-knowing one. Mankind’s limited understanding of reality keeps him shackled to what he or she can understand and see but god dwells in a specter that so far surpasses anything that we have ever seen. God has given us the spirit by which we cry Abba father. Spiritual children gathered by god into the fellowship of divinity. We have the ability not only to communicate with the heavenly beings but to consider him father. A connection so close that we need no audible words to transmit our needs and cares to him. I think that many men and women should take advantage of letting the spirit communicate for them to the father and creator of heaven and earth.
Romans chapter three has a key hinge point in its midst. This chapter depicts the nature of mankind as they strive to follow the Law of Moses. Verse twenty one states, “but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Here Paul makes a clear distinction between the way things were and the way thing are now. The righteousness of god has appeared unto all men and this righteousness is found in Christ. This righteousness is free to all who will come. Before Christ appeared righteousness was only given to the Jewish nation. Hither to righteousness is the free gift to all that have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no longer a distinction between the Jew and the gentile. They are now all on one accord. It is through the life death and resurrection of Christ that all men may now partake in the fruits of the spirits and the life that given by Jesus Christ. This is a strange concept for the Jewish nation to accept for they believe that the gentile world is in apostasy and is not able to be saved. God has to reconfigure the Jewish way of thinking. No longer is there supremacy on salvation. Although there was never a supremacy, only a misrepresentation of the oracles of god through the Jewish nation, All along it had been the plan for all men to be saved. God chose the Jewish nation to be the lineage through which his son would come through.
Well Ryan, I know this is a little late for a response seeing how your reflection was the first on the list but nonetheless, to get credit and reflect at the same time I really appreciated the narrative style of your reflection. The fact that you told a story to make your point or thoughts come out clear was great. I don’t really have anything negative so keep up the good thoughts ☺
I really appreciated how you highlighted the fact that Ellen White constantly grew in her walk with God and even in her understanding of who God is. I think that we all face similar challenges in our own lives and that is why someone like Whidden and Thompson can continue to write on such topics. And the more I think about it the more it makes sense even in my own life. If I try and think back to what my first conceptions of God were to them now I have grown a lot. Although, I must say, that Adventist evangelism did a good job in presenting a very kind and loving God to me ☺
Nick, in your reflection on Romans 1:16 I really appreciated your common vernacular when you used the words “sold out”. I was trying to think of that in a literal sense and I found it a bit hard to think about. All I could think about what something in store that had nothing left. But, because I have heard that saying before a few times in another context I completely understood what you were saying. On the flip side, it may be tough for those new to this culture to understand, but I think that this will help them learn. Thanks for being relevant.
Tyler Rosengren Response #4 – Ryan Kilgore “A Ruthless Attack on Judaizers”. Nice. I like it. It seems that you have been able to really explain this chapter in words that carry deep meaning. I think that this ability to label things correctly will help you in your sermon prep in the future. I will be looking forward to reading and hearing more about you as we get older together in this wonderful world of Adventism ☺
Tyler Rosengren Response #5 – Alicia Johnston I was not able to read the same material you were on this assignment however because of what you have written I am very intrigued and want to go read a little more. Especially the insight you shared about how Ellen White’s writings were a little different before 1888 and after 1888 was what got my interest the most. Thank you for sharing this reading and your insights with the rest of us, as you can see in this case you have ‘redeemed’ my homework for this section ☺
Each chapter just keeps getting better! The use of language and theological thought in chapter six is beautiful. Paul elaborates upon some profound truths. The first idea that really jumps out at me is baptism. Paul writes that baptism is the decision to follow Christ, for just as He died and was resurrected, an individual chooses to die and walk in newness of life.
Some Christians say they worship on Sunday because Jesus was resurrected on the first day. Yet there is no Bible proof that Christ wanted his followers to come together for weekly worship on the day He was resurrected. However, Paul is very clear in Romans 6:3-6 that if one wants to follow Jesus, then by all means get baptized! For death and resurrection of new life of individuals are the indicators of Christ’s followers!
He goes on to say that baptism signifies that one has been “freed” from sin (verse 7), yet he clearly states that followers of Christ are slaves of righteousness (verse 18). He continues by stating that we are all slaves (verse 16). This is quite amazing, considering slaves were not looked upon favorably. It is as if Paul was evening the score in a sense. This use of slaves/freedom and death/life is just part of Paul’s ability to weave these everyday ideas into deep and beautiful theological truths.
His understanding of obedience is also worth noting. Simply put, we all obey! We either obey sin, which leads to death (verse16) or we obey righteousness and God, which leads to everlasting life (verse 22). When one has been delivered from sin, true obedience from the heart (verse 17) will be manifest in fruit to holiness (verse 22). He caps it off with a “cherry on top…”For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Tyler Rosengren Response #6 – Reed Richardi I agree with you that the idea that election and predestination do not seem like easy topics when you are in the book of Romans. In fact, it wasn’t until I took this class that the fuzziness of it all got a little less fuzzy. In response I just want to share my thoughts (mostly to help me clarify them for myself). I think what was talked about in class being that the election and predestination were aimed more at the idea of a chosen people rather than at salvation really opened up my eyes. Of course I need to do a lot more studying because it seems like I was way off in my thinking before this and I wonder how I got there when all I had read was the text itself. Either way, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Tyler Rosengren Response #7 – Chester Clark III I like how you focused on the fact that Paul did not just make an intellectual appea to the Gospel of Jesus Christ but also made an appeal to the heart. I think too often we (myself mostly) find ourselves digging in to the theology of the Bible for strictly intellectual purposes without remembering that the whole thing is about Jesus. Good thoughts! Aside from the assignments itself, did you know that you have an author’s name? Or at least what I would deem as a good author’s name. It just sounds really appealing with the two “C”s and the fact that you are the 3rd. It seems like it would look good on a book cover ☺
Tyler Rosengren Response #8 – Michael Jones I agree with you in the fact that there seems to be a lot more to learn about salvation than I had originally anticipated. I too felt I had some grasp on salvation and sometimes in this class it seems there is a lot more to it. However, I think that it’s not so much that there is more to salvation itself but more with just things that are surrounding salvation. I think the basic premise of accepting, believing, confessing is still as easy as it gets, however we often make it out to be more than that. On the other hand, it does help us have a continuous growth process during our intellectual development as humans. Not that being saved is any harder that ‘smarter’ we get, but it’s just that there is more to understand.
Tyler Rosengren Response #9 – Jinsoo Park I like how you emphasized the human experience in the whole plan of salvation. Yes there are some universal aspects that we can understand from a theoretical basis, but it really only comes down to our personal experience. Because even when we look at the universal aspects of salvation it is our own experience that is perceiving that universalism. Thus I agree that our experience in of prime importance and can never really be taken out of the equation if we really want to understand salvation. Especially when Paul says later on that we must have the renewing of the heart by Christ’s spirit.
Tyler Rosengren Response #10 – Matthew Shallenberger It is interesting to note the historical points that you mentioned concerning the 1880s and the Adventist church. I had never really seen them in the light that you shed on them. The fact that the preceding years were of almost as much importance to the 1888 Conference was a bit of light shed on me. I guess it would only make sense, but I enjoy how you emphasized the historical part of that in your reflection because it allowed me to put it in perspective as well.
Tyler Rosengren Response #11 – Michael Liu I appreciated how you were able to point out the juxtaposition in the book of Romans and you stated that they were idea opposing each other. I too have learned much from Dr. Hanna in not saying necessarily that these ideas are opposing each other but more to say that these ideas just shed different light on the same situation. He has helped me understand that the Bible is inspired and everything that is in there is there for reason, to help us understand salvation and how to have a relationship with God. The fact that even though they may seem to be opposite but that they really are both helpful was a good lesson I learned from the course.
Tyler Rosengren Response #12 – Matt Feeley I agree with Brother M that it is interesting to see that Brother B. called himself sinless. I too find that it is quite a notion to think that anyone could consider themselves sinless. I guess that is because I have often let the thought cross my mind and although I may not have done something evil or sinful in the past couple days I think that often times it is only because I lack the opportunity. Not that I am thinking of doing it, but I think that God’s grace keeps us away from temptation because he knows we couldn’t handle certain things at certain times. On the other hand, maybe it is because we are living by grace that we do not find ourselves tempted? I was recently asking myself the question as to whether or not God leads us into temptation. We are told to pray that we not be led into temptation, yet it was the Spirit who led Jesus to be tempted. Also it says that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to stand. I know, this means only more questions to answer, but for class that was more about questions than answers I think this will fit right it.
Tyler Rosengren Assignment #13 – THE FINAL RESPOSNE!!!!!!!!! Wazoua Serge Roger The idea of the substitution is something that I have struggled with as well. I think the points you pointed out were very good because each of them resonates with things that I have often wondered as well. Especially the idea of the law and how important (or is it) it is to the cause of God and what exactly He uses it for. I appreciated the texts that you used especially when you shared Romans 5:12, and 18:1. Keep up the good work and I know one day we will be sitting in somewhere in heaven during the millennium and perhaps we’ll bump into each other and talks about the very things we are wondering about now. I look forward to that day ☺
Chapter: Salvation and the great controversy theme
I was reading this chapter today and something just popped out of the pages and slapped me in the face. I was reading this: “it is the sophistry of Satan that the Death of Christ brought in grace to take place of the law . . . . God’s moral government and His grace are inseparable” (FW 30) pg. 36 This made me stop and think about God but on God’s perspective, by who He really is and What He did by sending His son to die for us at the cross. I look at God and see his mercy and Love by sacrificing his son for us and I at this time reading this chapter, the word “Moral” made me stop and wonder: His moral government is tied to this grace, so how difficult that is to govern a world that is full of sin? I mean I was born a sinner, I had no choice, I had no way out, I just was brought into a world that I didn’t fill with sin, I didn’t take part on the plot to overthrow the sovereignty of the Creator on this Planet and why should I suffer for all of these things if I didn’t have a choice? As choice is part of God’s kingdom and we call it “Free Will”, and although we are born with it we cannot exercise it at the time of birth, our parents just brought us into this World and carelessly made us be a part of a fallen race. That bothers me I confess! That I could not choose in a world created with free will, I could not choose to be here or not, I didn’t have a saying in if I wanted to live here or not. I see God’s mercy as Universal and limitless, I see God’s love as forever and bold, I see his Justice as a fearful trace of His character, after all His law demanded a sacrifice and if mankind cannot provide one I will die in their place, that ‘s a pretty fearful thing to think about. So I am born into this chaos and into a battle that I didn’t start and when I preach to my congregation I have to affirm them and comfort them about the outcome of the future but today for some reason the word “Moral” I made think about a God that seemed to be cornered also and had no other choice other than die for us. He was born into a World with a choice and lived with sinners by choice, and died at the right time by the foretold instrument (the cross) al of that by choice. I see myself so small before God when I look at the past and see that his morals are tied with his Justice no matter the cost.
Chapter: Salvation and the great controversy theme
I was reading this chapter today and something just popped out of the pages and slapped me in the face. I was reading this: “it is the sophistry of Satan that the Death of Christ brought in grace to take place of the law . . . . God’s moral government and His grace are inseparable” (FW 30) pg. 36 This made me stop and think about God but on God’s perspective, by who He really is and What He did by sending His son to die for us at the cross. I look at God and see his mercy and Love by sacrificing his son for us and I at this time reading this chapter, the word “Moral” made me stop and wonder: His moral government is tied to this grace, so how difficult that is to govern a world that is full of sin? I mean I was born a sinner, I had no choice, I had no way out, I just was brought into a world that I didn’t fill with sin, I didn’t take part on the plot to overthrow the sovereignty of the Creator on this Planet and why should I suffer for all of these things if I didn’t have a choice? As choice is part of God’s kingdom and we call it “Free Will”, and although we are born with it we cannot exercise it at the time of birth, our parents just brought us into this World and carelessly made us be a part of a fallen race. That bothers me I confess! That I could not choose in a world created with free will, I could not choose to be here or not, I didn’t have a saying in if I wanted to live here or not. I see God’s mercy as Universal and limitless, I see God’s love as forever and bold, I see his Justice as a fearful trace of His character, after all His law demanded a sacrifice and if mankind cannot provide one I will die in their place, that ‘s a pretty fearful thing to think about. So I am born into this chaos and into a battle that I didn’t start and when I preach to my congregation I have to affirm them and comfort them about the outcome of the future but today for some reason the word “Moral” I made think about a God that seemed to be cornered also and had no other choice other than die for us. He was born into a World with a choice and lived with sinners by choice, and died at the right time by the foretold instrument (the cross) al of that by choice. I see myself so small before God when I look at the past and see that his morals are tied with his Justice no matter the cost.
The business of Salvation is a messy business, that’s all I can come up with after reading the chapter on Sin and the Human Condition on the Book: Ellen White and Salvation. I stopped to meditate on this passage by Ellen White quoted in the book: WE are unable by ourselves to purse the right course . . . . It is only by the grace of God combined with the most earnest effort on our part, that we can gain the victory.” Pg. 45 God sets the whole stage for the salvation of mankind and the price that mankind could not pay is paid but then there’s a catch- we have to have an” earnest effort combined with grace of God in order to be saved”. God places his bets on people that may ignore his efforts and his sacrifice, we still exercise our free will, we can choose not be saved. So when I see the cross and the resurrection and all that it took to get all this done there’s still a risk on the part of God and we know that many will choose the other way. Salvation is a messy business, it produces a stench and odor that is unacceptable in the realm of God but it was necessary. When I think of predestination, I try to imagine where free will fits in that thought, and why God would take so many risks for a game that was already set since the beginning? Predestination seems to me, a hard sell when I think about God placing his bets in a fallen race that can deny him access to their hearts.
ON THE BOOK ELLEN WHITE AND SALVATION Chapter: Salvation and the great controversy theme I was reading this chapter today and something just popped out of the pages and slapped me in the face. I was reading this: “it is the sophistry of Satan that the Death of Christ brought in grace to take place of the law . . . . God’s moral government and His grace are inseparable” (FW 30) pg. 36 This made me stop and think about God but on God’s perspective, by who He really is and What He did by sending His son to die for us at the cross. I look at God and see his mercy and Love by sacrificing his son for us and I at this time reading this chapter, the word “Moral” made me stop and wonder: His moral government is tied to this grace, so how difficult that is to govern a world that is full of sin? I mean I was born a sinner, I had no choice, I had no way out, I just was brought into a world that I didn’t fill with sin, I didn’t take part on the plot to overthrow the sovereignty of the Creator on this Planet and why should I suffer for all of these things if I didn’t have a choice? As choice is part of God’s kingdom and we call it “Free Will”, and although we are born with it we cannot exercise it at the time of birth, our parents just brought us into this World and carelessly made us be a part of a fallen race. That bothers me I confess! That I could not choose in a world created with free will, I could not choose to be here or not, I didn’t have a saying in if I wanted to live here or not. I see God’s mercy as Universal and limitless, I see God’s love as forever and bold, I see his Justice as a fearful trace of His character, after all His law demanded a sacrifice and if mankind cannot provide one I will die in their place, that ‘s a pretty fearful thing to think about. So I am born into this chaos and into a battle that I didn’t start and when I preach to my congregation I have to affirm them and comfort them about the outcome of the future but today for some reason the word “Moral” I made think about a God that seemed to be cornered also and had no other choice other than die for us. He was born into a World with a choice and lived with sinners by choice, and died at the right time by the foretold instrument (the cross) al of that by choice. I see myself so small before God when I look at the past and see that his morals are tied with his Justice no matter the cost.
ON THE BOOK ELLEN WHITE AND SALVATION Chapter: Salvation and the great controversy theme I was reading this chapter today and something just popped out of the pages and slapped me in the face. I was reading this: “it is the sophistry of Satan that the Death of Christ brought in grace to take place of the law . . . . God’s moral government and His grace are inseparable” (FW 30) pg. 36 This made me stop and think about God but on God’s perspective, by who He really is and What He did by sending His son to die for us at the cross. I look at God and see his mercy and Love by sacrificing his son for us and I at this time reading this chapter, the word “Moral” made me stop and wonder: His moral government is tied to this grace, so how difficult that is to govern a world that is full of sin? I mean I was born a sinner, I had no choice, I had no way out, I just was brought into a world that I didn’t fill with sin, I didn’t take part on the plot to overthrow the sovereignty of the Creator on this Planet and why should I suffer for all of these things if I didn’t have a choice? As choice is part of God’s kingdom and we call it “Free Will”, and although we are born with it we cannot exercise it at the time of birth, our parents just brought us into this World and carelessly made us be a part of a fallen race. That bothers me I confess! That I could not choose in a world created with free will, I could not choose to be here or not, I didn’t have a saying in if I wanted to live here or not. I see God’s mercy as Universal and limitless, I see God’s love as forever and bold, I see his Justice as a fearful trace of His character, after all His law demanded a sacrifice. Jesus was born into a World with a choice and lived with sinners by choice, and died at the right time by the foretold instrument (the cross) all of that by choice. I see myself so small before God when I look at the past and see that his morals are tied with his Justice no matter the cost.
The business of Salvation is a messy business, that’s all I can come up with after reading the chapter on Sin and the Human Condition on the Book: Ellen White and Salvation. I stopped to meditate on this passage by Ellen White quoted in the book: WE are unable by ourselves to purse the right course . . . . It is only by the grace of God combined with the most earnest effort on our part, that we can gain the victory.” Pg. 45 God sets the whole stage for the salvation of mankind and the price that mankind could not pay is paid but then there’s a catch- we have to have an” earnest effort combined with grace of God in order to be saved”. God places his bets on people that may ignore his efforts and his sacrifice, we still exercise our free will, we can choose not be saved. So when I see the cross and the resurrection and all that it took to get all this done there’s still a risk on the part of God and we know that many will choose the other way. Salvation is a messy business, it produces a stench and odor that is unacceptable in the realm of God but it was necessary. When I think of predestination, I try to imagine where free will fits in that thought, and why God would take so many risks for a game that was already set since the beginning? Predestination seems to me, a hard sell when I think about God placing his bets in a fallen race that can deny him access to their hearts.
ASSIGNMENT # 6 MARCO QUARTEROLI ON THE BOOK ELLEN WHITE AND SALVATION Chapter: Salvation and the great controversy theme I was reading this chapter today and something just popped out of the pages and slapped me in the face. I was reading this: “it is the sophistry of Satan that the Death of Christ brought in grace to take place of the law . . . . God’s moral government and His grace are inseparable” (FW 30) pg. 36 This made me stop and think about God but on God’s perspective, by who He really is and What He did by sending His son to die for us at the cross. I look at God and see his mercy and Love by sacrificing his son for us and I at this time reading this chapter, the word “Moral” made me stop and wonder: His moral government is tied to this grace, so how difficult that is to govern a world that is full of sin? I mean I was born a sinner, I had no choice, I had no way out, I just was brought into a world that I didn’t fill with sin, I didn’t take part on the plot to overthrow the sovereignty of the Creator on this Planet and why should I suffer for all of these things if I didn’t have a choice? As choice is part of God’s kingdom and we call it “Free Will”, and although we are born with it we cannot exercise it at the time of birth, our parents just brought us into this World and carelessly made us be a part of a fallen race. That bothers me I confess! That I could not choose in a world created with free will, I could not choose to be here or not, I didn’t have a saying in if I wanted to live here or not. I see God’s mercy as Universal and limitless, I see God’s love as forever and bold, I see his Justice as a fearful trace of His character, after all His law demanded a sacrifice. Jesus was born into a World with a choice and lived with sinners by choice, and died at the right time by the foretold instrument (the cross) all of that by choice. I see myself so small before God when I look at the past and see that his morals are tied with his Justice no matter the cost.
AJ I appreciated the way you ministered to your friend. It is not easy to see one so close travel the wide and broad road. It sounded like he was still willing to learn. How is he doing now? As Paul brings out in Rom. 6, there is a way that one will live when Christ is in the heart, death to self and alive to Christ. I wonder if his Adventist experience has been one of coercion (going through the motion because you have to) or of choosing Christ for himself based on responsive love. Either way, God is pursuing his heart with relentless fervor.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 3 An Unahsamed Gospel Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
In this nation with its history of racism (illicit and complicit), where culture baptized and Christian, and anything non-euro was written off and inherently evil, I find myself reading Romans. It is interesting that Paul, speaking to the people of Romans, considers himself set apart, or segregated unto the good news of God, concerning Christ the anointed messiah, the Son of God, according to the Spirit of holiness by Christ’s resurrection from the dead. This was done for Paul, in order to give him grace for the obedience among on the nations. Paul’s segregation came not as a result of his ethnic or cultural preference but as a result of Christ. He is Christ’s, not Jewish; Christ’s, not gentile. He has being given the Spirit of holiness, and the life of the resurrection, so that he may be obedient by faith, and bring this new life to all nations whosoever will receive it. It is equally interesting that the gospel is the power of God to save unto Jew and gentile. Here Paul does 2 things: he mentions the divisions of the church, and yet he mentions both sides of his family line, in order to say that he is the mergence of Jew and gentile in Christ. He does not mention his human ancestry directly, but he is living proof of God’s power to save both Jew and gentile. The fact that the gospel is the power of God to save both Jew and gentile means that there is nothing in either culture that does not need salvation. Both cultures, ethnic groups thought they were each right ethnically and culturally, and yet Paul says they both need salvation. So much for my theology that says that my cultural/ethnic preferences are more holy that another's, to utilize science to support a certain style of worship and holier than those who use their experience of suffering to validate their worship style a more holy. for colonial concepts that says my nation is more holy when compare to other nations. Paul says that all knew God’s wrath is against all ungodly everything of God has been revealed from heaven through nature. Paul indicts all, not just gentiles, for knowing who God is, and yet not acknowledge him as God. Paul indicts all as unthankful, vain and foolish,given over to uncleanness and lust, changing the truth of God to a lie, of having vile affections, of leaving and going against nature, of being reprobate.
Cont. A quick review of history will reveal that all ethnic groups and nationalities have had these exact same problems. Therefore simply based off of Romans 1 Paul is immediately denouncing segregation based on national, racial, ethnic, and cultural bias, since all have partaken in sin. This is the immediate denouncement of the ideology that says there is any race, ethnic group nation, or culture, who has managed to not do the things of the other nations and human societal subgroups, and since the gospel is something Paul is not ashamed of, then to hold such views, even while being in the church, is for Paul a point of shame not just for the individual, the church as a whole. All are sinners, and all stand under the wrath of God. And if one sees fit to compare himself against other ethnic groups, chapter 2 opens with an indictment against those who would judge others horizontally (man vs. man), versus judge themselves vertically (God vs. man). Thus there is no race culture, ethnic group or nation that is holier than any other, not even the Jews. And since Paul is gentile-Jew (father-mother), and since the gospel is the power God to save Jew first and the gentile, Paul’s writing of this letter is his way of saying that the only way to have reconciliation of race, culture, ethnic group and nation is in the gospel. If this is the case, then when Paul says he is separated unto the gospel of God, he is being separated from unholy biases and segregations of racism, nationalism, ethnocentrism, and cultural-ism, reborn based on the resurrection of the dead unto the only unifying factor the world will ever see: Jesus Christ
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 4 Freely, Regardless of Division
Rom 3:19-24, 29-30 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
The passage says that all have sinned. “have sinned” is a past tense statement. So everyone’s past is marred with sin. There is none that has managed to not rebel against God The passage says all have sinned “and come short of the glory of God”. “and come” is a present tense statement. So everyone’s present state is the state of coming short of the glory of God. So no one in and of themselves is currently measuring up to the glory that is God. The passage says “being justified by his grace”. Being is a present tense state of being verb that shows something in progress that has not come to completion. So while everyone has sinned (past) “and come” (present), all are in the state of being present progressively justified freely by his grace. Why does Paul do this? Simply because he wants Jew and gentile to understand that neither has ever come close to the glory of god, and that all are currently in the same salvation boat because of Jesus. Redemption was/is available to everyone regardless of their ethnic racial, general, national and cultural difference, and more importantly, all needed to be redeemed from them. How is this possible? Simply because there is only 1 God, who made only one humanity. Since we are only one humanity, then we will all commit the same basic sins, regardless of the divisions we place to show how unalike we are. Our sins join us to each other, and consequently God in Christ’s salvation joins us as well.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 5 “We” and Calvinism Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
It is interesting that Romans has made the Pauline case for the unity of all humanity up to this point, with no division in salvation. Divisions are the result of rebellion and the fall: division from God, division in marriage, division in tongue, ethnicity and race (culture and nation added). And so when we come to the wonderful assuring statement of our justification, Paul uses the all inclusive “we” to demonstrate that those who were justified by faith are all, regardless of human constructed divisions. He continues his use of the inclusive by informing that we were without strength, we were yet sinners, and we were yet enemies. Christ died for the ungodly, Christ died for us, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we are now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath, and we shall be saved by his life. Paul is not speaking in exclusion of anyone one group of people in these statements. Paul’s usage of the inclusive is done to show the universality of salvation. It is for everyone. It was accomplished for everyone because everyone needed it. If I were to allow for the modern understanding of Calvinism to stand, then theses passages would only apply to those God preordained to save. What does this belief do for the passage? Well all of the “we” and “us” statements would apply to the elect. This means that the elect were the ungodly sinning enemies of God facing wrath who needed to be saved. God had to extend or commend his love to them, because in their state the elect didn’t want him. If this is true (the common sense application of Calvinistic principles). Then that would by default mean those who God did not extend or commend his love toward were not in need of it, because they were not in need of salvation, as they were not ungodly, sinning enemies of God. They would in fact be holing, righteous friends of God, if not outright sons.
Cont The problem is this: if Romans 1-3 are indicative of the whole of humanity, then that means all of humanity is guilty of those things. If this is true, then the things that make the elect enemies of God are things that make the non elect God’s friends. They didn’t need salvation because they were doing what God wanted them to do. This means that there are two standards of holiness, one which the elect are told is evil, and the one the elect are saved to. This would be because God is either fickled or two-faced. He tells one group of people that holiness is this, and then tells another group of people that holiness is that, and sits back to watch the fallout. That is not indicative of a loving God, but more of governmental foreign policy that sells arms to both sides of a fight it started. No, God wants all to be saved, and so he separates those who in faith accept his son from those who do not. Such separation is a separation from the world’s sociological ideology and world view that focuses and plays up human differences against each other. It is also a separation from those who are trying to earn their way (legalistic law-focused) into God’s good graces.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 6 Family debt Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. This is a passage that I have never heard put correctly. For those of us who love the law, and have been raised on law, we get a little agitated when people begin to quote some of the things Paul said about law. This one will be no different. Paul is clear that sin entered the world, death by sin, and that we all inherited death since by one man all have sinned. He then continues on by saying that “until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed where there is no law”. This taken by itself would be confusing, but the next verse informs us that death reigned from Adam to Moses, over those who did not sin in the exact same way that Adam did. What does that mean? Consider this: Adam was born with a perfect mind, in a perfect body, in a perfect garden, on a perfect planet, in a perfect universe, in a perfect relationship with a perfect God. With that being the case, Adam was perfectly capable of obeying a perfect command (don’t eat of the tree). The will of God was very clear. That was his one law. So for Adam to break with it was inexcusable. After that there is no record of a law proper being given to humanity until Moses, to whom was given the Torah. So from Adam to Moses death reigned over all, even over those who did not sin the way Adam did, in that they did not have a law proper to break. Where there is no law sin is not imputed, and yet death reigned over all even during a time of “technical” lawlessness. How is this possible? “As by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned” This is not saying that death reigned because all actually broke with a law that they knew, but that when Adam sinned, all his descendents sinned. The totality and infectiousness of sin not only passed on, but because Adam is the progenitor and willfully broke with a law he knew, his descendent who inherit his life inherit his debt. Thus those who lived between Adam and Moses who had no law proper were still subject to the death that Adam owed.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 7 Family Debt/Family Saved Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Rom 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
There seems to be a great deal of question over the issue of universal salvation. I must admit I was honestly unaware of this argument until I arrived at seminary. However, contextually in Romans, I believe Paul very clearly explains is position and reasoning. Given all of the “we”, “us” language as it relates to “sinners”, “ungodly”, and “without strength”, considering that Paul places all under sin regardless of ethno-cultural and racial-national affiliation, and considering that Paul considers everyone to be indebted to sin and under the rule of death because of Adam, the above quote passage should make clear sense to anyone who is simply reading. And so we begin. Paul makes an equation: “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” by the offence one judgment came upon all to condemnation = justification unto men all upon came gift free the one of righteousness the by I have written the verse out in the formulation above so that the reader can see the direct parallel/mirroring effect. The words “Therefore as” are simply introducing the equation. The words “even so” are the equal sign in the equation. The idea that condemnation brings death is assumed in this verse based on the previous verses, and so the end phrase “of life” may be left out of the equation as an assumption as well. The idea is that one person messed it up for everyone; even those who had not sinned like him were under the condemnation of death and sin because of him. So also one man fixed it for everyone; even those who have not lived or tried to live holy like him. The implication is that the one who fixed it was able to fix it for everyone because he came not to solve everyone issue, but Adam’s issue. If he resolves Adam’s issue then all coming from Adam have issues resolved.
Cont. Here is the stinger: Where were you when Adam sinned? You were in the loins of Adam. Did you ask him to sin? Did you know that he sinned? Do you appreciate that he sinned? The answer to these and all questions like them is an emphatic “No”! Notice that the issue of condemnation comes “upon” all men. It does not say unto all men? Unto is within, while upon is without. So even those who did not sin within themselves after the willful similitude of Adam (within) are still under (upon) the same condemnation and penalty as if they had. The reverse is also obvious and true. Where were you when Jesus died? On his mind and in his heart. Did you want him to come? Did you want him to die? Did you even appreciate his death? To these and all questions like then we give a resounding “No”! and yet the free gift is said to come upon all to justification. Why is this…because Jesus solved the Adam issue, and so all coming from Adam have their issue resolved. Therefore all are under Christ as it relates to Adam’s death sentence being handed down. The problem is that they are unaware of it. Simultaneously, even though I am under justification so that I don’t pay Adam’s debt, I am still indebted because of my own willful, deliberate, obstinate sins. Therefore I must accept Jesus not only as the savior of my family for the family debt, but also as my personal savior for my personal debt. Therefore all of humanity is under Christ. Christ is the source of life humanly. His life is given to all, and therefore even those before the cross cold operate under the Holy Spirit’s influence. Because Christ’s life was credited to those before the cross the Holy Spirit was free to convict of sin and to convert to righteousness before his official outpouring. It is because of this that that we find the Holy Spirit leading people who are not part of Covenant Israel (Melchizedek, Jethro, Balaam, Pharaoh Necho, Nebuchadnezzar, etc.)
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 8 Death and Resurrection Rom 6:2, 4-6, 7, 9-12 “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection…that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
Please consider the death and resurrection of Christian. It is all dependent upon Christ. The Bible is clear that we are dead, and that “we” is all those who have by faith accepted the payment of Christ for the debt of the human race in Adam, as well as the payment for their individual sin debt. So how can those who have by faith accepted forgiveness of debt continue to live incurring debt? Part of the incurring of debt is the willful sinning against what has been revealed and the will of god in Christ. The other part of incurring debt is the attempting to make the payment yourself, attempt to earn what God has given freely. It is as if you say that what you can do is equal to the sacrifice of Jesus, and is therefore and insult to God and his gift. Yea…that will incur some debt! Therefore in order have our debt paid, we by faith died with Christ. That’s good, but it does not prevent me from incurring more sin debt. So what does Paul say happened to us after we by faith died? The same thing that happened to Jesus: we resurrected by faith. What does that mean? It means that the likeness that Christ is resurrected and ascended is the likeness that we are raised to by faith when we come out of the water. He has been freed from sin; we have been freed from sin. Death (and sin) have no more dominion over him; death (and sin) have more dominion of us. He died once; when we accept Christ we died once. Every day we recommit ourselves to that death and resurrection. He lives for God; we live for God. Therefore because sin no longer has dominion over us, we have the ability to choose to yield to God, to not let sin have control. We have power because of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 9 Servants, Wages, and the Gift Rom 6:16, 18-20, 22-23 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Please notice the last verse. There is a comparison is between wages and the gift. The passage is comparing being a slave of sin or a slave of God. So in the end the passage is a comparison of masters: sin and God. Verse 16 starts out using the word “yielded”. This is a connecting word pointing back a few verses where Paul encourages the Romans to yield themselves to God, thus inferring that because of the death and resurrection of Jesus we now have the ability to choose masters. So then verse 16 informs us that whomever we obey we are his slave. This is true, even after death and resurrection. We are free, and yet we yield to sin and choose to enslave ourselves to someone who has no rights to us. Paul goes on to inform the reader that sin always led to death, now and in our past. So when we yield to sin we are yielding to something that will shame and kill us. We are now to yield to God instead of sin, since we have accepted God has our new master because of his payment of Christ to sin. The interesting thing in this passage is that there is no true thing called autonomy. One is either a slave to sin, and free from righteousness, or a slave to God and free from sin. There is no autonomy. One is free to choose whom one will serve, but that is it. After that there is the life of yielding to one’s master. Western thought has missed this pivotal point: that we are not completely free. We are free to serve whom we choose, but we were made to serve: either God or sin it makes no difference, we will be serving someone. The thing at the end that should be our deciding factor according to the chapter is the benefits. Working for sin I get wages; working for God I get a gift. Sin’s wages, after a whole life of service, is death. It is what I earned, and it gives it freely and without gripe. Therefore everything that I get in this life working for sin, money, women/men, prestige, fame, power, pleasure, etc., are not the wages. Those are my tools sin gives me to earn my wages. Once I have completely lived my life the way sin wants it, sin pays me for a job well done, and my payment of all my years of service and submission is death. Consequently, when considering legalism, which is the idea that I can earn my way into the favor of God and salvation, or that I can through effort, concentration, determination, and will power maintain the salvation started by God, the wages of that work as well is death. This is contrasted with service to God. Working for God I get eternal life. I accept it by faith in Jesus death and resurrection. So no only am I guaranteed holiness, but a life without end, in a world without end. Working for God is a work of faith, not a work of legalism. It was work of faith in what Christ has done on the cross, and work of faith in where Christ is doing currently. Eternal life comes through Jesus Christ, so that when I have Christ, no matter what evil life through at me, I know I live forever. All that the sinner seeks down here in his service of sin I get by default and more because I have Jesus
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 10 The Law’s function Rom 7:6-10, 12-14 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
I have always loved this passage. Coming from a very conservative family who preach law all through my childhood, I find it strange that I have never heard an SDA minister preach from this passage. I suggest that this is because of the over-emphasis on law in our denomination. We are so afraid of someone doing away with the Sabbath that we fail to recognize that the law does not save. Oh sure we will pay lip service to the idea of grace, but we lack the ability to embrace the totality of the grace without somehow throwing law in the conversation. However in my mind this passage forever silences those who desire to preach law as means to please or appease God. The Bible says that there is nothing wrong with law, but the wrong is in me, that every time someone tells me to not do it there is a desire in my to do the thing forbidden. No matter how perfect the law is, according to Paul is to show sin, “that is might appear sin…that sin through the commandment might become (or be seen) exceedingly sinful”. Paul is clear that the commandment was ordained to bring life. Fair enough. Everything that God says is designed to give me life, whether admonition of prohibition. However, because I am a son of Adam, I naturally want death. This is because the master of humanity is sin, were it not for Jesus. Sin is all we know, and what we naturally crave. So without the intervention of the Holy Spirit, God can tell me all the prohibitions that will protect my life, but the moment the commandment comes sin will revive in me and I will become condemned and deserving of death, because sin will cause me to want to disobey. Therefore because of sin, the law’s only function can be to demonstrate how completely evil and wrong sin is, and therefore I am. The law cannot save me, in that it is only an instruction on what should be done and what should not be done. It lacks the ability to give me the desire obey it. It cannot change my heart. It cannot make me love God. It can only show me that I don’t love God, and that I need a savior.
Cont. Remember as well that the brain has 10 billion interconnected nerves with innumerable extensions. So not only is it instinctual for me to do certain things without thinking when presented with certain situations and temptations, but there are also billions of innumerable ways to get from thought to action. The demons know this. But notice with me one small fact again. The temptations are coming from outside of you. They are an invasion force. They are playing on weak areas within in us, yes, but it is because most of us have not been taught how to strengthen the weak areas. All we know is that we are what we feel and think. So Paul is actually not simply describing the struggle of any other Christian, but of all Christians, including himself. The struggle is what we know to be right versus that fact that we are wired to be wrong. On the issue of race it says that theologically we love the idea of being one with each other in Christ, but practically we hold grudges, our face will snarl, we think thoughts, we grip our purses tighter, we live on the other side of town, we will attend a different church, we will theologically justify our ethnic cultural worship as the most God glorifying, we will forbid or encourage or children to not marry someone of another “race”, etc.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 12 No condemnation Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
With chapter 1-7 as the background for this verse, this verse has been used to simply say that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This is an incomplete statement, which only accounts for a majority of the verse. We have read Romans through the lens of racial reconciliation, and in the last bog we discovered that while we loved the idea of unity, we are wired for division, and tend to operate based on our wiring most of the time. Earlier in Chapter 7 we were told that the function of the law was to point out sin, and so by the end of chapter 7 we stand condemned of a life in which our theology does not match our “footology”. In chapter 6 we were told that sin was not to have dominion over us, and this is the idea that Paul pick up in chapter 8. The liberty of “…no condemnation…” is “…for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk (live) not after the flesh, but after the Spirit…” The issue is not has one accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary, but rather have they accepted his resurrection life according to Chapter 6, which sent back the Holy Spirit in chapter 8. Therefore the resurrected life in 6 is the walking after the Spirit in 8. There is no condemnation for those who by faith walk after the Spirit, or submit to the Spirit. This is by faith because it cannot be by will or work. I believe that Jesus died and rose again by faith. I believe that he ascended to the right hand of God by faith. I believe that I died in him by faith. I believe that I rose with him by faith. I believe that I ascended to the right handoff God in him by faith. Therefore by faith I accept the Holy Spirit to lead me in living out a resurrected and ascended life while on earth. I am under the dominion of the Holy Spirit. The grace of “no condemnation” is not for those who walk “after the flesh”. My flesh is wired for sin, my thought processes are wired for sin, my body is wired to respond and crave sin. Yet I am not to live my life according to my wiring. I am to live my life according to the leading of the Holy Spirit as revealed in the word of God, which will agree with God’s revealed will in his law. If I live according to the flesh, the law stands there to point out my sin, however if I live according to the Spirit, the law stands there to point out Christ righteousness in me. Racially, this means that I learn of and from other cultures, embracing all who come in my path as equal children of God and deserving of my respect and presence. It means that whatever of American (or other) culture does that informs and supports my fleshly biases I reject as not being in Christ, and I follow the Spirit in the movement of reconciliation. I do not allow the literal, mental, Spiritual, cultural, etc., walls of separation and segregation to be erected in my presence, since Christ has torn that wall down.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 13 The World Awaits Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Every kingdom since the dawn of time has sought to build something that lasts forever. Every people group has thought themselves superior to all others. Therefore superiority is part of the fleshly sin problem. Every people group in ancient times claimed to come from the gods, many of who had heroes in their culture who were claimed to be literal sons of god. The problem is that these sons of gods were sons of gods for that people group and culture. If I wanted to be under the protection of that son of god, I would have to become part of that people group. In addition, all theses so called sons of gods did not behave any more nobly than normal humans. Having divinity has parents did nothing for their passions. This is because the gods themselves had passions and were biased and arbitrary as their human worshippers. Case in point: the Trojan War. That war was started because some of the Olympian gods didn’t like Troy, while others didn’t like Greeks. The Olympian gods were racist, and manifested their racism in the subjugation and genocide of entire people groups. This is not the same as God in the Old Testament, who we see many time calling for the complete eradication of a people based not on ethnicity but on immorality. The people in the Old testament that were eradicated were people who were not only unholy, but were downright wicked in every thought and action. The gods of Olympus would for childish reasons. And so the passage under consideration says that all creation (the creature) awaits the manifestation of the sons of God. Given the history of what it meant to be a son of god, the title meant a few things: you and your parent were both powerful, passionate, arbitrary, biased, egotistical, selfish, demanding, sensual, etc. What the Greco-Roman world, and the entire world, is waiting for are sons of a god who is gracious, self-controlled, loving, unbiased, accepting of all, giving, humble, patient, etc., and still passionately powerful. To be a son of God is to be unbiased, reconciling, above cultural and racial disparagement. This is because your Father is above it. His sacrifice of Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus to the right hand of God, with the gift of the Holy Spirit was for the entire world. Therefore his children must have the same mind. The world is looking, not just for their theology to be high and holy , but their “footology” to be as high and holy as their theology about their Father God.
Chester Clark III Response to Matthew Feeley (Assignment 5)
I appreciated your thoughts on Romans 5. It seems that each chapter of Romans have come alive in a new way after studying and discussing this semester. The article by Larry Kane dealing largely with Romans 5 also helped me to understand the context in which justification by faith is consistently being discussed.
Chester Clark III Response to Brian (Assignment 7)
I was interested in your evaluation of Whidden’s treatment of the atonement. I appreciate your interest in a holistic approach and stepping back to take a wide-angle view. I have to say, however, that I had a distinctly different impression after reading this chapter than you did. I came a way feeling that Whidden saw EGW’s (and Adventists’) view of the atonement as more comprehensive than any one model, and being comprised of elements of several – though primarily the penal/substitutionary model. Your comment made me want to go back and read the chapter again to see if I only imposed a more holistic reading on what Whidden wrote.
Chester Clark III Response to Reed Richardi (Assignment 9)
I appreciated your candid admission regarding Romans 9, that if it were the only chapter of the Bible you would probably believe in Calvinistic predestination. I have thought the same thing! I am so thankful that God did give us the entire Bible – and thus the ability to compare scripture with scripture. I too think that I need a lot more study on this chapter, and it is one of lingering questions that I list on our final class assignment.
Chester Clark III Response to Dario Ferreira (Assignment 16)
I have to say that I appreciate your consistency in getting the assignments done weekly. That you were doing Assignment 16 at the first of December says you were keeping on top of them better than most of the class. Good job!
I also appreciated the balance of EGW as demonstrated in our reading this semester. Separation between justification and sanctification is not possible (in experience) because she seems to view sanctification as simply staying in a justified experience. “As you have received Christ Jesus, so walk in Him.” Colossians 2:6. It’s all by grace through faith.
Chester Clark III Response to Jason O’Rourke (Assignment 13)
I really enjoyed your cultural illumination of Romans 8:19. It really made the mindset of God’s children stand out in bold relief when compared to the mindset of the world. That in giving up the desire for an eternal legacy we might be enabled by God to be part of an eternal kingdom is a miracle of divine grace.
Chester Clark III Response to Alexander Rybachek (Assignment 10)
I found your discussion of Romans 10 fascinating, especially because in scanning through the blog my eyes fell on the last sentence: “Our righteousness was obtained by Christ on the Cross of Calvary, but our own righteousness brought Him there.” I was a bit puzzled, so read the rest of the blog more thoroughly. Thank you for putting our “righteousness” in perspective.
Chester Clark III Response to Michael Jones (Assignment 6)
I appreciated your comments on Romans 6. I think that we as Adventists can do a better job of teaching the glorious parallel between the resurrection of Jesus and rising from the waters of baptism. I think sometimes we tend to focus more on the dying part of the symbolism. Of course this is important, for without it the Christian will never live a victorious life. But equally important is the rising to walk in newness of life! That we can enjoy here and now the same miraculous, powerful, fiat power of God through the same spirit that raised Him from the dead should give us a lot to talk about! Perhaps if we did tell more of His power, we would preempt the devil’s delusion that somehow the commemoration of Christ’s resurrection (Sunday) gives us license to live in disobedience to His law (Sabbath), which is completely out of harmony with what Paul so clearly teaches in Romans 6.
“Justification is not the work of a moment and that it is always past, justification is always present and operating in our lives. One moment is not sufficient to save us? Yes it is if it is imparted to me everyday. Christ is our substitute not the cross; he was our substitute in the manger, in the Gethsemane, in the heavenly sanctuary. When Adam sinned he deserved to be killed right away but Jesus was already the substitute and step between God and Adam and provided the time for God to come and ask: “Adam, where are you?” In Paul’s way of thinking there’s no separation between acquittal and the new birth “ The paragraph above is a quote from my Class Notes, and I am still chewing this up – Thanks Dr. Hannah, after a whole semester I m still totally in awe of some of the arguments presented during the Course on Salvation, this is one of them. Justification is always present- I always had in mind it was a past event, something that happened when I accepted Jesus as my Savior and then moved on to Sanctification and that this was another process, new and standing on its own. Now I see Justification is something daily and necessary, I am being justified in every second becauese as a sinner I need that justification even to exist as a child of God. I could not survive one second without His grace and Justification is the most amazing representation of that grace.
Chester Clark III Response to Ryan Kilgore (Assignment 13)
I really appreciated the candidness with which you wrote about your struggle in understanding the issue of perfection. I could empathize with you as I read it – not just because of the theoretical conundrum but because of my realistic experience. On one hand it seems unfair for God to ask us to believe something is possible that will be impossible, and on the other hand it seems apparent that we will never come to the point where we see ourselves as perfect, arrived. The big picture I seem to get is that the person who is living in the Spirit is striving for the highest ideal – not just overcoming moral wrongs – and feels acutely how far he falls short (EGW refers to us as often having remorse for our mistakes and shortcomings). Could it be that these mistakes are not necessarily “sins,” though we might see them as just as regretful? In this sense we might be actually overcoming moral faults while still being convicted and sensing our need for Christ’s righteousness to cover our ever-present deficiencies. I don’t know – just something that I’ve been thinking about.
Comment on Romans 6 In Romans chapter 6 Paul uses two illustrations to demonstrate his point concerning the relationship between the sinner and the law. According to John C. Brunt this chapter is primarily concerned with answering the question of sin and grace. In his commentary on Romans he suggests that there are two main illustrations that Paul uses to convey this point. The first is an illustration about baptism and the second is an illustration about slavery. In both illustrations Paul’s purpose is the same to demonstrate the relationship between the believer in Christ and his law. In his first example Paul argues that since we are baptized in Christ and we have died in Him then the consequence which must naturally follow is the death to our carnal self, simply put a death to sin. It is Paul’s belief that the death of Christ brought victory over sin and thus when we share in his death we to share in his victory. However, Paul’s picture of victory is unlike those of his present day, rather than Jesus being a conquering warrior that brings about peace and justice through the edge of His sword, Jesus is represented as a suffering servant who willing gives up his life for others and as such his victory is one of weakness rather than might. This is of great significance for the Christian today sense our baptism into the death of Christ likewise symbolizes our human weakness and thus willingly submits to death in Christ in order that we too might be victorious through our weakness rather than might. In his second illustration Paul reminds his audience of the true nature of slavery and that one who is a slave is under the control and authority of his master. As such the slave must of necessity give up his life in submission to his master’s will and purpose. From this perspective, Paul is able to imagine the Christian as a slave to Christ, yet Paul’s picture of a slave is quite different than those of his day, from Paul’s perspective slavery is a thing to be greatly desired, for in being a slave to Christ one receives the free gift of Christ. Rather than working hard for little to no pay, the Christian slave receives his reward in eternal riches. Unlike the slavery of Paul’s world, slaves of Christ inherit the Kingdom of their master and are as such royal subjects of the King. Therefore to be a slave of Christ is to be free from tyrannical slave owners and to be granted the status of royalty in His Kingdom.
Comment on Romans 7 According to Paul sin creates a very complex situation, similar to the relationship status that many people select on their personal web page one might even say, “Its Complicated.” According to John C. Brunt Paul uses three illustrations in this chapter to make his point: Marriage, The Tenth Commandment and the Human Dilemma. The Marriage illustration is perhaps the most complicated of the three sense it requires more so than the others the greatest amount of imagination. In the first illustration Paul attempt to demonstrate the relationship between a woman and her recently deceased husband. Here Paul argues that when the husband has deceased the wife is legally free to remarry. And as such her marriage to her new husband is legal and just but it is also a new marriage. In her previous marriage she was bound to her husband by the law regardless of the his care and concern for her, but now she is bound to her new husband by her heart, although she receives a legal certificate validating the legitimacy of her marriage, she is no longer bound to her husband by law but love. In the second illustration Paul simply points to something we are all familiar with, the problem with not trying to focus on something that you have decided not to focus on. Accordingly, the psychological law of cognitive thinking suggests that if one attempts to not think about something their mind naturally begins to think about that which it is attempting not to think about. According to Paul this was the problem with the law, in attempting to not break the law, one not only inevitably broke the law but even more so because their attempt to not focus on the law caused them to focus on the law all the more, thereby leading to their transgression of the law. Paul’s third illustration needs very little expression for we are all too familiar with what Paul refers to as the Human Dilemma. For Paul this is the problem of not wanting to do something and yet still doing it and wanting to do something and not being able to do it. For Paul this is the great problem of life that we all attempt to do things that because of the human nature we are unable to do and we all attempt to keep from doing things that because of our human nature we still find ourselves doing them. Paul’s point here is fairly simple the real problem that human beings face is the sin problem. Due to man’s sinful nature Paul suggests that man is caught in a bit of a quandary, but Paul does not only identify the problems of the human life he also points to the solution. Paul’s solution to the sin problem is a relationship with Jesus Christ. For Paul this is the solution because the spirit-empowered life can obtain victory over the sinful desires of the human heart and thus bring about a new reality where the sinful nature of the human being is swallowed up in the sinless life of Christ.
Comment on Romans 8 In Romans chapter 8 Paul contrasts life in the Spirit with life in the Flesh. For Paul, it is very clear that life in the spirit is to be preferred over life in the flesh. From Paul’s perspective life in the Spirit leads to life where as life in the Flesh leads to death. Therefore Paul concludes we ought to live in the Spirit. This appears to be more than a mere theological reflection for Paul, but rather it seems to have very real implications for the life of a believer in the hear and now. According to Paul, the believer is engaged in a spiritual battle for the believer’s life and as such one’s decision or lack thereof to live life in the spirit, by reason of consequence leads to an overwhelming defeat. To live in the flesh while fighting a spiritual battle is to fight a loosing battle. For Paul the consequences of living life outside of the spirit are to severe, to live outside of the Spirit is also to live without God. For Paul this is the ultimate loss not simply that one looses the battle waged against one’s self but that one looses one’s relationship with God. For Paul, this is the real tragedy that life outside of the spirit produces a Godless life. Yet Paul is equally clear that life in the spirit produces just the opposite, in fact in so far as Paul is concerned the spiritual life produces a new ancestry whereby one is adopted into the family of God as fellow brethren of Christ and Sons and Daughters of God. From Paul’s perspective, there is nothing in this world worth missing out on what God has prepared for His children. In other words, as far is Paul is concerned there is absolutely no comparison. In making this clear Paul hopes to convey to his audience the marvelous things God has in store for those who die to the things of this world in order that they might obtain the things of the world to come. For Paul a spiritless life is death, not of the body but of the spirit. So to fail to choose Christ is not simply a rejection of life but in actuality it is almost a spiritual suicide, which like bodily suicide must be considered reckless and irresponsible. However, to accept Christ and thus accept death of the flesh, actually participates in another kind of suicide (spirit-assisted suicide) but in this case it is the death of the fleshly man, thus it is justified and righteous. In fact one might even call it a “Righteous Kill.”
If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” the assurance of love is the the love existing between believers is to be similar to the love existing between the Father and the Son. And this love in the soul is the evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, are the conditions of salvation. In James' day there were men arising who were doing just as many are doing in our day,--preaching that faith in Christ releases men from obedience to the law of God. James declares that "faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God." It is by the constant exercise of faith and love that believers are made to shine as lights in the world. Salvation is something that every human being stands in need of even more than basic needs. One of the authors made it clear that since the time of Adams fall, man has been standing in need of salvation and deliverance from sin. Christ came to fulfill the promise of God to Adam and Eve about the plan of salvation. Our fore parent had love, faith and hope in God to save them from sin. These three dimensions hope, love and faith must be a part of our life.
Assignment # 2 REPOST 3Ds of Assurance (Hope, Faith, Love) How do they three dimensions of assurance relate to salvation? What are they three dimensions of assurance? I always have issue in regard to assurance in Christ for salvation. We talked about the three dimensions of assurance in the class this week. The three dimensions of assurance are also the three elements of salvation. The three dimensions of assurance are: Hope, Faith and Love. Mrs. White said “Were we to ground our hope upon joyful emotions, there are many of God's true people who would be without assurance. Jesus cares for the weak and feeble in their simplicity, and would quicken their life by his own heart beats.” The word of God is loaded in precious thing that will not be corrupted ever. “We are saved by hope in Christ Jesus: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for?
Assignment 4 Repost DOS Are we saved by the Gospel preach only by Human being? Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith." Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. I understand the Gospel is the power of God for salvation through faith, but what about those who did not have the opportunity to hear the gospel? Will they be saved in the kingdom of God? On what God will base His imputation?? You don’t have to be perfect to be counted righteous. God can reveal himself to any one whom He chooses too. God does not need a person to preach the gospel to someone another to be saved. Abraham did not have a human being preached the gospel to him another to have faith in the Mighty God of heaven. Salvation is the work of the heavenly architecture. God knows His people, He can and will communication to the whole human race the plan of salvation. “God has a purpose for each one.”God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." These words show us what we may become by striving to fulfill God's purpose. {ST, May 14, 1902 par. 4}” "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." I begin to understand that there is a need for me to change the way I think about salvation by grace. There is nothing we can do that will help us to make to the kingdom of heaven but what we do can prevent us make it to the kingdom of God. Every good thing we do is the work of the Holy Spirit in us though our obedience in Christ Jesus. We are justified by faith like Abraham was justified by faith.
Assignment #5 DOS Are we saved by the Gospel preached only by Human beings? Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith." Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. I understand the Gospel is the power of God for salvation through faith, but what about those who did not have the opportunity to hear the gospel? Will they be saved in the kingdom of God? On what God will base this impartation? How much does my faith contribute to the perfect Salvation?
You don’t have to be perfect to be counted righteous. God can reveal himself to any one whom He chooses too. God does not need a person to preach the gospel to someone another to be saved. Abraham did not have a human being preached the gospel to him another to have faith in the Mighty God of heaven. Salvation is the work of the heavenly architecture. God knows His people, He can and will communication to the whole human race the plan of salvation. “God has a purpose for each one.”God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." These words show us what we may become by striving to fulfill God's purpose. {ST, May 14, 1902 par. 4}” "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." I begin to understand that there is a need for me to change the way I think about salvation by grace. There is nothing we can do that will help us to make to the kingdom of heaven but what we do can prevent us make it to the kingdom of God. Every good thing we do is the work of the Holy Spirit in us though our obedience in Christ Jesus. We are justified by faith like Abraham was justified by faith.
Assignment #7 Repost DOS “Sanctification is the progressive work of a lifetime. The Lord declares, "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." Is it your will that your desires and inclinations shall be brought into conformity to the divine will? As Christians, we have pledged ourselves to realize and fulfill our responsibilities, and to show to the world that we have a close connection with God. Thus, through the godly words and works of His disciples, Christ is to be represented.” We can see clearly in Mrs. White writings that she gave a full endorsement to Jesus in her writings and in ways that confirmed her to be a qualified prophet. Dr. Hanna mentions in chapter “For Ellen White, the Christ-centered connections of divine and human persons involve three overlapping themes of Scripture….” What impresses me is the involvement of Christ with human on this earth to restore our image.
“Christ had not exchanged His divinity for humanity; but he had clothed His divinity in humanity (Sanctification).” “He veiled His divinity with the garb of humanity, but he did not part with his divinity.” “This is why, although he was tempted in all points like as we are, He stood before the world, from his first entrance into it, untainted by corruption, though surrounded by it.” One of the reasons I think Christ did not sin is because He was connected with His father while He was on earth. Christ came to the sinful world to show us; we can live in a sinful world without committing sin. If we are truly connected with God through Him; we can say that we are on the right track for sanctification. Now I have a new view about sanctification, I used to think that there is level I need to reach before Christ return. Since justification and sanctification overlapping each other; we can say that the final product is glorification which we will receive when Christ return. “The light given me of God places this important subject above any question in my mind. Justification is wholly of grace and not procured by any works that fallen man can do.”
“Wonderful possibilities are provided for everyone who has faith in Christ. No walls are built to keep any living soul from salvation. The predestination, or election, of which God speaks, includes all who will accept Christ as a personal Savior, who will return to their loyalty, to perfect obedience to all God's commandments. This is the effectual salvation of a peculiar people, chosen by God from among men. All who are willing to be saved by Christ are the elect of God. It is the obedient who are predestinated from the foundation of the world. "To as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to as many as believed on him." {GH, June 11, 1902 par. 3} Since God is Omniscience, omnipotent and omnipresent does that mean predestination remove the freedom of choice? As I read for the class assignment I made fantastic discovering about freedom of choice. WHY are we not successful in living up to God's standard? WHY do we slip and fall occasionally? Here is how you can overcome? “Each human being is given the freedom of choice. It is his or her to decide whether he/she will stand under the black banner of rebellion, or under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. With deep solicitude heaven watches the conflict between good and evil. None but the obedient can enter the gates of the city of God. Upon those who choose to continue in transgression, the death sentence must at last be pronounced. The earth will be purified from their misdoings, their defiance of God. {RH, March 15, 1906 par. 14}”
Romans 8:28-30 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
These things are serious. In other to be an overcomer in this world we must believe that Jesus is the Redeemer of the world. Also we must believe that we cannot overcome the world in our own power. "To him that OVERCOMES," says Jesus, "will I grant to sit with me in my throne." "He that OVERCOMES, and keeps my works unto the end, TO HIM will I give power over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron." (Revelation 2:26-27; 3:21.) When Christ return He will glorify those who overcome the world by granting them a sit in heaven.
ASSIGNMENT # 10 MARCO QUARTEROLI PREDESTINATION Predestination doesn’t mean that it will happen - God predestined the plan but not the outcome? John 3:16 God sent his son- he planned that before the foundation of the World, he planned his birth, his ministry and his death. Did Jesus run the risk of falling? Did he run the risk of failing? If that is true than God predestined the plan but not the outcome. If everything that was prophesized about Jesus was predestined: the way he died, his ministry and his death and resurrection, then everything is set and free-will is gone out the window. These issues are chewing on me. If God knows everything before hand so everything is set up and he cannot change the future? Or because he set up the future he simply chooses not to intervene in it? And if he intervenes so history for him is fluid and never fixed and then He didn’t set it up but goes along making changes when necessary. These are questions that will remain after this course and the years to come as the questions come easier than the answers on these issues.
Chester Clark III Response to Jasmine (Assignment 3)
I enjoyed your post about the three “motive powers” of the soul – faith, hope, and love. Especially this is of interest to me in the context in which you’ve placed it, that of assurance. There are some who preach assurance as if it is a commodity to be “had,” and lead listeners to believe that if they don’t know for sure that they will be saved that they don’t have assurance. It’s almost as if they are to have (based on…. answers may vary) a concrete foreknowledge which places them in the kingdom with no ands, ifs, or buts.
The problem with this version of assurance is that it removes both faith and hope from the equation. If something is already a reality, I need to neither hope for it nor believe in it by faith. The assurance of the Bible is a complete faith in Jesus to do the impossible and continue the good work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6). There are unknowns – my own future choices – but I hope that the power of the third motive power, love, will keep me safely in the Father’s hand. This is something that I’d love to develop and study more, and I enjoyed your touching on it in your post.
Alexander Rybachek Response to Joel Bohannon assignment 6 I see the universal picture of the salvation for everyone through Jesus only. I see where you go and I agree with you. At the beginning I was a little puzzled on the phrase: “Before Christ appeared righteousness was only given to the Jewish nation.” But later you explained that it was the misunderstanding of what Paul was saying. God really intended to save everybody, but He chose different people at different times as His tools of salvation. Thanks for reflection, Alexander
Great quotation from E.G. White. Thank you Jasmine for bringing out once again that we are the once who decide where to stand, and not somebody has predestined it for us before we were born. Amazing – every moment we do make the decision where to stand. Every moment is a history that goes to records. I lose this perspective so easily and thanks for reminding about Great Controversy in our daily choices. Alexander
Thank you Michael for reflection. It was great. Special thanks for “Righteous Kill.” I enjoyed that one. I agree we need to think more about the idea of killing of old man, of self that pools us back to previous habits and desires. I liked you approached the idea of spiritless life. “For Paul a spiritless life is death, not of the body but of the spirit.”We see many bodies around that just brief and do not really live real life. Only in Christ we really live. Thanks for reflection
I appreciate your comment on the end of the book of Romans. Indeed our victory is not complete while the deceiver is able to do his work. Many will be deceived and our own salvation depends on our awareness that he is still around. But Paul proclaims the victory like it is present and this gives us hope that we are almost home. Thanks especially for: “We will not reach salvation if we are sadden and discouraged by the struggles with deceptions from Satan. God wants us to focus on Him victorious. I believe that is why Paul also puts the image of crushing Satan under your feet.” Thanks for reflection.
nancy thomas response to Elias Misungwi second week reflection Romans chapt 2: Elias I can really appreciate your thought on this passage. I agree with you whole heartedly when you make the statement whenever we find ourselves angry about somone's sin we should be careful. we need to speak out again sin but we must do it in the spirit of humility. I would like to go a little further on this matter and say that before we apprach someone we need to make sure that we look at ourselves first and that what we say is out of love not to be a stumbling block to someone. Also your other thought we should not judge. I agree we should not judge but when we see our brother/sister doing the wrong thing we should try to help them and tell them this may help to keep them from stumblling, or it may just keep them from making a mistake that could have eternal implications. The bible say's that when we see our brother/sister doing wrong and not tell them their blood would be on our hands.
nancy thoams response to Joel Bohannon assignment #3 romans chapt 1 I really can appreciate your thoughts on this chapter I understand what you say when you make the comment Due to the blantant denial of the divinity of God God has given mankind up to have a reprobate mind. Further to contiue you say that Paul labels the attributes of humankind as depraved and debased mind. I believe that is why there is so much evil in the world today. I am beginning to agree that the Spirit of God is leaving this place and people are free to do whatever they seem right. It is much like the days of Noah when people just stopped living for God they out right denied his authority and divinity, so he left them to do what ever they wanted. However the end it was a very costly. I believe that history is surely repeating itself, and that is why we have to keep our attention on the prize which is Jesus, and always recognize the majestic authority of God our father who is in control of all things.
I liked the view on the atonement there needs to be a biblical view taken from each approach and deepen the both/and approach. I was intrigued by your second part. The idea of the whole body of Christ being more involved might as well run out the leaders of the church. I think more of an involvement of the church body is the Spirit’s guidance over all aspects of the church. The leaders were set up by God. They make the rules or teachings Lord willing by the acts and guidance of the Spirit. The biblical example is the event in Acts. James sends out a decree to the new converts, “that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell." Act 15:29 We need the Spirit lead leaders.
This was a great blog on the connection that God has with His creation. I enjoyed the personal touch of the experiences you have had dealing with these texts in Romans 8. I also enjoyed the comments on the Whidden book and BRI document.
Response to Dario Ferreira Doctrine of Salvation Assignment #9
I enjoyed the blog assignment #8 I decided to read the next blog by you as well. I enjoyed this blog too. Paul did have some heart felt concerns for his brethren. It is also a mystery how so learned men as the Pharisees could not see truth of the Messiah in fron of them. There was one thing I not too sure about in this blog. The Lord lead us to live for Him. It might be one of my presuppositions, but I always see the Lord more of a warrior and fighter. Though I guess if thought out long enough I can see your point.
That was a very interesting take on chapter 10 of Romans. The blog did a great job of tying together justification and confession. I am not sure though that confession is always evangelistic. The confession of my sins to God is not to be evangelistic. I would not want that public to everyone. The confession as the proclamation of my faith in the righteousness of God I can possibly see as always evangelistic. The language may need to be worked on. Overall though I would look forward to the possible answer in chapter 11, you have me in suspense.
Response to Wayne Jamel said... Billwayne W. Jamel
Weekly Blog Assignment #11: DO I HAVE TO GO TO WORK
I enjoyed the concept of faith is dead without works. The title of the blog was awesome. I am a lazy person by nature and habit. The reading of your blog made me realize even though this may my life it won’t work in my spiritual life. I need Jesus to mold me and I need to act similar together with God. Good illustration of the tree bearing fruit. May God help us all be the right type of tree.
Response to Landon Schnabel said... Assignment #12
I found the book on Ellen White by Whidden was redundant too. The concept you mentioned on liberals and conservatives was interesting. I never really dealt with labels much in my life. I know, as a Catholic, people would think I would be considered conservative. I have also been categorized as liberal especially in my taste of music. I thought I remember reading that these labels should not be used. I could be wrong. In your comments on the perspectives of the two labels was intriguing. It is true about the perspectives. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it would be a conservative model. The liberal says whatever works. The fact though remains that both liberal and conservatives have their issues of error. Both of the labels can be taken to extremes. Jesus was extreme to the Pharisees because He was filled with the Spirit and they were not. There is much to be said on this may God be with all either conservative or liberal or balanced.
Response to Jason O'Rourke said... Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 13 The World Awaits Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
I thought that since I started with your blog back in September I will finish with one from you for the final response. That was an intense blog. I enjoyed the historical background to the nations that held feeble gods as their gods who were mere manefistations of evil. The good gods they had were even trivial with their inconsistencies. I liked the contrast of how God reacted to the nations in the Old Testaments to the Olympian gods. Our actions need to be patterned after of Heavenly Father not just our theology.
Brian, I really appreciate your comment on the final realization of our salvation. It’s not finished yet. But one day it will be. One day Jesus will finally crush Satan, and sin will be no more. I can’t wait for that day! Looking forward to it gives us hope to keep striving toward our goal. Thanks for reminding us of that.
Chapter 11 in Whidden’s book is an enlightening study of Ellen White’s teaching on salvation at the time of the watershed 1888 General Conference. Whidden makes it clear that Mrs. White’s focus was on justification, on the wonderful truth that Christ’s righteousness clothes our frail, sinful humanity.
Whidden argues that Mrs. White’s teaching on justification during 1888 was not really a shift in her theology; it was simply a shift in focus. She had always believed and taught the same message of justification by faith in Jesus. Now she simply emphasized it more. She recognized the value in the message that Jones and Waggoner were spreading, and she heartily endorsed it (though Whidden makes it clear that she did not endorse everything they taught).
Once again in this chapter we can see how balanced Mrs. White’s theology was. She realized that the SDA church had been focusing too much on the law, so much, in fact, that we had become “dry as the hills of Gilboa.” This is why she wrote and spoke so much about justification during and after 1888. Again, these ideas were not new to her theology; she simply began emphasizing them more than ever before. The law is certainly important, and Ellen White never downplayed the law, but we can lose sight of the precious Gospel message if we focus too much on the law and forget about Christ our righteousness.
All this leads me to wonder if there is room today for a renewed emphasis on justification in our Adventist churches. During the early to mid-20th century, it seems like our church swung back toward an overemphasis on the law. Legalism became a real problem. Part of the result of that has been a backlash among younger Adventists against legalistic churches. We grew tired of well-meaning but misguided church members beating us over the head with their interpretation of Adventist standards. Today it seems like more preachers are again emphasizing justification by faith, but I wonder if we need to emphasize it even more. I’ve been in too many churches where legalism, and its natural outcome, judgmentalism, still hold powerful sway. While the law is important and has a place in our churches, it cannot save us, and by itself it cannot transform our lives. What we need is the precious message that was brought to the forefront in 1888: Christ gives us His own righteousness and justifies us freely by His blood.
Assignment 4 Jin soo Park Here is my most favorite Bible text, “ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him,”so shall your offspring be.” (Rom 4:18) Sometimes, I got a some situation that my faith is tested. I am sure that it is so hard to test our test in our usual life. The only reason that Abraham can be called as a father of the faith is Abraham got a situation that his faith can be tested. I also think the possibility that someone was there who had stronger faith than Abraham had. But they did get a hard situation that can test their faith. Abraham was the person who had really strong faith. That is why he could succeed God’s test. And I hope that I have really strong faith like Abraham had. Even if I would be placed so hard situation, I want to get a victory from the test. That is the real meaning of faith.
I really like that Sanctification is our life time work. I am pretty sure that there is no end until we get to heaven. because there still have a possibilty to fail. And also I think that even though there is still possibility to fail, we shuold try being not failed. I think that is the one of the main points of our sanctification.
Billwayne W. Jamel Martin Hanna, Ph.D. THST540 Doctrine of Salvation 2 credits 08 December 2010
Weekly Blog Assignment #12: WALKING FISH
Johnny was looking outside his window as his neighbor was walking his dog. He wished he could walk his pet, but the problem was his pet was a fish. It wasn’t fair. Why do dogs get to walk outside and not fish? Well he wasn’t going to let the laws of nature tell his fish what to do. So Johnny took his pet fish out of the bowl and was about to him outside, but that fish wouldn’t let him. It squirmed and wiggled. “Don’t be afraid fishy.” said Johnny. “You can walk if you just put your mind to it. You can do anything.” Well, fishy never walked like a dog that day, but it was able to play dead.
In the book, “Ellen White on Salvation” by Woodrow W. Whidden, there is a chapter entitled, “Perfection before 1888”. In it the author gives an illustration to support being active in moving toward perfection. The illustration he used was that of the paralytic by the pool of Bethesda. He had to be active in the healing in that Christ told him to ‘get up and walk’.
However, I look at this illustration differently. Yes, he had an active role to play in this scenario. However, he couldn’t play any role until Jesus showed up. If he tried to ‘get up and walk’ before Jesus showed up then he was going nowhere.
Yes, I agree with Whidden in that the Christian experience isn’t a passive one. However, being active without Christ is pointless. So many people try to get up and walk without Jesus. They try to better their character without Jesus. They try to grow spiritually without Jesus. Any efforts before Jesus shows up, is in vain.
Jesus wants to show up, but He is waiting for an invitation. The point is, no matter how hard it may try, a fish can’t walk, and neither can an untransformed man. The first active action that we need to take is to invite Him to come into our lives, so that He can perform the miracle of transformation. And then we can be active in following His commands, because now He gives us the strength, ability, and motivation to ‘get up and walk’.
Reed Richardi Assignment # 13 After reading Whidden’s 14 chapter on perfection and the BRI article by Edward Heppenstall How Perfect Is "Perfect" Or Is Christian Perfection Possible?, I have even more questions about the topic. First off I do want to say that I was disappointed in Heppenstall’s article. It seemed to be a bit superficial (light on exegesis) and he took to the favorite argument and straw man of those who argue against Christian perfection or final generation theology. The straw man is that Christian perfection or final generation theology is based on human righteousness and independence from God’s grace. Now I am not settled on the issue of perfection and realize that it is not an easy issue to deal with, but I do know this. I have never read or listened to any supporters of perfection who focused on or even hinted at human righteousness or independence from God’s grace. I am sure there are some out there but I don’t think they are the majority. The proponents of perfection that I have heard or read have actually stressed absolute dependence upon God and that He is the one who supplies victory to His own glory. But Heppenstall and many others dismiss the perfection position as being based on human righteousness. I guess I am just wishing for some deeper thinking on the issue based on the biblical text. The second disappointment I had with heppenstall’s article was his statements about sinful nature. He made some general statements saying that our sinful nature could be controlled but never eradicated but he never made any of his points biblically. What is interesting is that these statements in Heppenstall’s article followed a lengthy quote from Romans 6 which talks about how our old man was done away with at the cross. Now I am not saying that this text teaches that our sinful nature has or will be completely eradicated before the second coming. But I just don’t feel like Heppenstall dealt with the issue very well. Or maybe I am just looking for answers that we don’t have yet. I did appreciate Whidden’s chapter on Ellen White’s view of perfection prior to 1888. I feel like he honestly wrestled with both sides of the issue as found in the writings of Ellen White. I think it would be fascinating to read a whole book or dissertation wrestling more deeply with these issues as Whidden does in chapters 14 and onward.
Reed Richardi Assignment # 13 After reading Whidden’s 14 chapter on perfection and the BRI article by Edward Heppenstall How Perfect Is "Perfect" Or Is Christian Perfection Possible?, I have even more questions about the topic. First off I do want to say that I was disappointed in Heppenstall’s article. It seemed to be a bit superficial (light on exegesis) and he took to the favorite argument and straw man of those who argue against Christian perfection or final generation theology. The straw man is that Christian perfection or final generation theology is based on human righteousness and independence from God’s grace. Now I am not settled on the issue of perfection and realize that it is not an easy issue to deal with, but I do know this. I have never read or listened to any supporters of perfection who focused on or even hinted at human righteousness or independence from God’s grace. I am sure there are some out there but I don’t think they are the majority. The proponents of perfection that I have heard or read have actually stressed absolute dependence upon God and that He is the one who supplies victory to His own glory. But Heppenstall and many others dismiss the perfection position as being based on human righteousness. I guess I am just wishing for some deeper thinking on the issue based on the biblical text. The second disappointment I had with heppenstall’s article was his statements about sinful nature. He made some general statements saying that our sinful nature could be controlled but never eradicated but he never made any of his points biblically. What is interesting is that these statements in Heppenstall’s article followed a lengthy quote from Romans 6 which talks about how our old man was done away with at the cross. Now I am not saying that this text teaches that our sinful nature has or will be completely eradicated before the second coming. But I just don’t feel like Heppenstall dealt with the issue very well. Or maybe I am just looking for answers that we don’t have yet. I did appreciate Whidden’s chapter on Ellen White’s view of perfection prior to 1888. I feel like he honestly wrestled with both sides of the issue as found in the writings of Ellen White. I think it would be fascinating to read a whole book or dissertation wrestling more deeply with these issues as Whidden does in chapters 14 and onward.
Justification by faith in Rom 14 has a lot to do with practical theology. When we see Paul applying his theology to life we make draw some conclusions on his view on the use of Mosaic law and justification by faith. His chapters from 12-16 may be entitled “living sacrifices to God.” Justification in Rom 14 is mostly dealing with non-judging attitude. We are not supposed to judge our brothers and judgment is the indicator of weakness, not strength as we usually think. As we know 99% of the conflicts arise because of our big ego involved. We affirm the way we believe as an example for everyone. We do not like to see others sinning a different way than we do. We like to uplift our own perception of righteousness and wickedness. Thus a person who does different things than we do is considered evil person just because he is different. Paul is aware of our limitations as humans and gives us a counsel not to judge one another. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way (KJV Romans 14:13). As a pastor I was aware that the problems usually arise when people start looking at each other not with the intent of uplifting each other, but with opposite intent. It is the matter of time when the true attitude of the heart would be revealed. The law of love acts differently. If your brother is concerned how you eat or in what you dress on for the sake of your brother do not do anything that pushes him to the spirit of judgment. Romans 14:22 says: “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” Freedom from spirit of judgment is one of the greatest on the earth. I grew up in the church with judgmental spirit and I praise God that not all the churches are like that. Thus Paul is right saying “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” I need to be free and at the same time not to put anybody into the tray of judgmental spirit. Thus Rom 14 has practical application for us: do not judge each other – this is the practical side of sanctification. Rumors may kill the church faster than any herecy. That is why Paul is writing to us about non-judgmental spirit.
Assignment 5 Jinsoo park The first part of Romans 5 talk about the peace and joy. First word of this chapters starts “Therefore”. So Romans 4 said we should have the faith that Abraham had, and he had been justified through faith, it is time to have peace and joy through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is so powerful message. It talks about how can Christian live with joy and peace? Even if they are placed in suffering, they rejoice. “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, becuase we know that suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance, character, and character hope” (Romans 5:3,4) Suffering is hope as a christian. It is so wonderful thought. How can suffering become hope. These two things have so different character. But Paul strongly mentioned that Suffering is finally hope. That is our life as a christian. So there will be only peace and joy. The other part of this chapter talk about Adam and Jesus. Adam was first man who let the sin enter the world. But Jesus is first man, also only man who can save us. I want to focus on the word “only.” The only person we can use the word only is Jesus Christ. Adam was the first person, but not the only person. But Jesus is the not only first person, but also only person to save us.
I appreciated your thoughts. Certainly it is futile to try to get up an walk without Jesus. But I also look at the paralytic's acting as the invitation to Christ and an act of faith that despite his inability he trusted Christ was able. Praise the Lord He is able.
Wow, it never occured to me that satan would be crushed under MY feet. I believe God is the one who crushes Satan, but its nice to get my foot on him. Satan thinks he can win, but not when we have Jesus on our side.
It's also true what you said about people being obedient now, but not nessarily later. I hope we all will remain obedient till the very end.
Thanks Reed for commenting on my blog. I'm glad to see that someone was able to read it.
Oh yeah, I agree with the fact that the paralytic had faith that Christ was able to work the miracle in his life. It's really the thing that touching here, because it tells me God is able to work in my life (praise God), I just need to actively cooperate with Him.
Mathew Feeley Response 2 Response to Michael Jones Assignment 6
Michael I really like your point about the fact that we all obey. It's true we are very obedient but who or what do we obey? The flesh, sin, Satan, God, His word, righteousness. Good job Michael
haha, Yo, that's hilarious how you have like 10 post in a row. You were pullin' it in! That's great stuff. I congradulate you in getting it done. So now, I have to comment on one of your blogs.
I hear what you're saying about the two Adams. Sometimes we get so caught up in the controversy over this passage, that we miss the beautiful message here.
I also praise God that we get to pass from death to life. That's serious hope.
Balance is a theme I’ve commented on several times during my journey of writing and reflecting in this class. I’ve pointed out how balanced Ellen White’s views on salvation are. She can write of the necessity of the perfection of our character, and yet turn around and speak of our dependence on Jesus for our salvation. This balance I’ve observed is especially significant since for much of my life I’ve heard Mrs. White’s writings used and abused by some very unbalanced people. It’s amazing to me that people can read her writings and come up with such extreme ideas which they propound as the “straight testimony.” Yet it shouldn’t be that surprising, I suppose; people do the same thing with the Bible.
Chapter 12 in Whidden’s book provides yet another example of Mrs. White’s balance. In this chapter Whidden discusses Mrs. White’s writings on justification in the four years following 1888. While she continued to write with a strong emphasis on justification and on Christ our righteousness, she still wrote about the importance of faith and works. She never separated the two. We are saved by putting our faith in Jesus, but that does not excuse us from obeying God’s law. We are not saved in our sins, but from them.
The way I see it, it’s a matter of focus. The Christian life is a narrow way with a ditch on either side, and if we lose focus, we risk falling into one or the other of those ditches. On the one hand, we must not overemphasize Christ’s free gift of righteousness so much that we cheapen God’s grace and make it seem as though we don’t have to live up to God’s perfect standard once we are “saved.” On the other hand, we can focus so much on our behavior, on doing the “right” things and being “perfect,” that we lose sight of Jesus, the Source of our salvation. Our works will never save us!
Whidden uses a wonderful metaphor to describe this issue of focus. He compares us to trolleys and buses. “The trolley gets down the street by keeping its boom connected to the source of power from above. The bus gets along by depending on the power it receives from its own fuel tanks. The simple fact is that believers simply do not have enough in the ‘tank’ to make it when it comes to merit. We must be trolley cars all the way to the kingdom—every moment and mile of the way!” It is only by staying connected to the Power from above that we can ever achieve the perfection of our characters. We will never succeed by focusing on ourselves and constantly trying to evaluate our relative perfection. Often this leads us to look at others around us to see if we’re “better” than they are. But others can’t save me. And I can’t save me. Only Jesus can save me.
Mathew Feeley Response 3 Jason O'Rourke Assignment 6
I love your heading for your blog "Family Debt." And I sense frustration as you right about Adam and how he cause this mess we're in. I guess sin is so deceptive that even though everything was perfect, we might have done the same thing. I'd hate to think so but it's possible. I look forward to the time when sin will be no more and I'm sure you do too.
Romans Chapter 6 talk about the dead to Sin, but alive in Christ. Paul strongly said we died to sin. It is so hard work to die to sin. The meaning of dead is that there is no I. We must die. There is nothing about us. That is the meaning of dead. And the only thing we can revive again is dying first. Without dying we cannot revive. Because we are still alive. So we should die to our sin, but when we revive, we should be revived by new life of Christ.
And finally, this chapter says that we are not under law but under grace. We are revive by the grace. That is God’s grace. Even if we are not a person who can be saved, God save us. We are not enough to get something, but God give us. It is grace. So when we try to die ourselves to sin, that is it. We will revive by the grace of God.
It's a valid point you raise Jasmine. I think it can be answered with two texts. The first is in the same chapter of Romans when Paul says that "since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." The other passage is Acts 17:31 where Paul (in the context of preaching the Gospel to an audience who never heard it before) says "having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent." Hope this was helpful. Thanks for your post.
Billwayne W. Jamel Martin Hanna, Ph.D. THST540 Doctrine of Salvation 2 credits 08 December 2010
Weekly Blog Assignment #13: blessed INsurance
Have you ever tried to sign up for insurance? It’s so complicated. There’re so many rules and details. And there’s like an insurance for everything in life. Car insurance, laptop insurance, insurance for your big toe. I mean, we even have life insurance. Let’s be serious, if I’m dead, and I don’t have a family to take care of, then WHY IN THE WORLD would I need life insurance? I can care less about paying off my debts after I’m dead. The only life insurance that really matters is the blessed assurance in Jesus Christ. That’s one good insurance policy.
In the book, “Ellen White on Salvation” by Woodrow W. Whidden, the last chapter is entitled, “What Does It All Mean?” There’s a part that deals with forgiveness and the fact that God intercedes on our behalf to make us good to go. This is encouraging to me because we can have assurance.
This is a good note to end off the semester. Throughout this class, we have been dealing with Salvation. There has been a lot of discussion and at times even confusion. But what I want to say now is that when it’s all said and done, let’s have the assurance of Salvation. We might not be able to grasp every aspect of Salvation, predestination, justification, and all the ‘ations’, but let’s know at least this: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes (puts their salvivic trust) in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). It’s okay to be confused. Keep studying, but don’t miss your Salvation in the process and trying to understand it.
The Bible is a big book with even bigger concepts that we won’t ever fully comprehend, but what’s awesome about it is that at the end of the Bible— at the end of countless truths and tons of doctrines, lays a simple conclusion in the last verse of the Bible: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people” (Revelation 22:21). Let’s have the assurance that we as individuals are his people and that His grace is with us.
Justification is an acknowledgement of the faithfulness of God. Faith does not accomplish justification, faith receives justification. The more we understand about righteousness by faith, the more glorious it becomes. But remember that, "Without the transforming process which can come alone through divine power, the original propensities to sin are left in the heart in all their strength, to forge new chains, to impose a slavery that can never be broken by human power. But men can never enter heaven with their old tastes, inclinations, idols, ideas, and theories." The Review and Herald, August 19, 1890. Justification is accomplished by God’s faithfulness. Through justification by faith the image of Christ is stamped upon the mind, heart and soul making it possible for man to have the mind of Christ as did the apostle Paul. In Christ’s Object Lessons, 163, we find this amazing statement: "As the sinner, drawn by the power of Christ, approaches the uplifted cross and prostrates himself before it, there is a new creation. A new heart is given him. He becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus. Holiness finds that it has nothing more to require. God Himself is ‘the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.’ Romans 3:26." Faith, love and hope are tied together in Christ. When one believes in Jesus Christ that one also receives sealing in Christ through the Holy Spirit. When the sinner is converted he receives the Holy Spirit, that makes him a child of God, and fits him for the society of the redeemed and the angelic host. He is made a joint heir with Christ." The Southern Work, 12. "The grace of Christ purifies while it pardons, and fits man for a holy heaven." That I May Know Him, 336.
You mention that we as can Christians can hasten the coming of the lord, as the righteous lives of believers would witness to the world and hence cease delaying the second advent. In your opinion is it our unrighteousness or lack of witnessing or both that is causing the delay? Some would say it's flawed to think that our righteousness or unrighteousness is interfering with Christ's coming.
The purpose of the law is letting us know what sins are. But Paul still talk about dead. When we die to sin, we do not have to live as a servant of sin. If we are still living as a servant of sin, it means we are not died yet to sin. This is the evidence we died or not yet.
There is only one law. But Paul also says that there are two kinds of people who apply law to their life. The purpose God made law is to give us new life. Through the law we can see what sins are. This is the only purpose of law. But sometime we use law to kill others. And also sometimes we think that God made law to judge our sin. If we think like this, the purpose of law that God made for us is for dead. But Paul strongly mentioned that law is for life.
For using law as a tool to give us new life, we should died to sin first. This is the only way for getting a new life. Dying to sin is so important in our life. I am sure that is the first part works of law. Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. (Romans 7:13)
The biggest question that I have been researching is when the “begetting” of the Son took place. Some commentators specify a moment outside of time, perhaps the author understands of the sonship of Christ and its expression in Ps 2. It may be that he took seriously the language of the psalm about Christ “becoming” Son and set decisive moment either at creation or some primordial event or at the Son’s incarnation,his baptism. At what point was Christ Salvation secured! Given the context, which has already proclaimed the exaltation of the Son, the Christian most likely understands this moment of begetting as the moment of the Son’s exaltation. The Psalm text is so linked in other NT writings (Acts 13:33). To deal with this problem, as well as with the tension between those who argue for Christ’s becoming Son at some point such as exaltation have maintained that the term “Son” is properly applied at the point of exaltation. One could understand references to the pre-existence or incarnate Christ as Son to mean “he who will become son.” Another attempt to reconcile the two Christological perspective while maintaining primary focus on the exaltation is to see the proclamation of Christ as Son not as the creation of a new status but as the definitive recognition or revelation of what Christ is and has been. Yet in Heb 1:1-4, the main clause is the statement that the Son has spoken in these last day; Heb 1:2, putting Son in the new day in contrast to former days. In addition, the main verb of the relative clause in verse 3 places the locus of its exalted descriptions at the point of Christ’s session at the right hand of Majesty.
Mathew Feeley Response 7 to Paolo Tenorio Assignment 10
I like use use of the terms plan and predestination. I especially like your closing statements on the topic and have found your observations useful. Blessings.
I agree that Salvation hangs of this verse. It summarizes the dilemma and solution of sin. It's a beautiful contrast painted here between sin and salvation, life and death. I also like your comments about inherited sin. Blessings.
Throughout the entire word of God this basis for justification by faith is confirmed. For example, in Romans 5:12, 17–19 we read: "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. For if by one man’s offense death reined by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men in condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous." That which Christ has provided for us and wants to do for us is the basis or foundation of justification by faith. Is it possible even though Christ is the representative, are His actions enough to cover our consistent disobedience. In the Bible, both Adam and Christ represent the human race. Therefore, what occurred with Adam and Christ has to do, in a spiritual sense, with everyone born into this world. For example, when Adam, the representative of our race, was tempted to rebel against God and in doing so, sinned, he brought death upon himself and all his descendents. When Christ became our representative by coming to earth in human flesh, He likewise was tempted by the devil to sin. But He did not rebel as Adam had done; He obeyed God. And because of His victory over Satan, He was able and willing to die for our sins so that the sentence of death could be reversed to eternal life—if we accept the gift. Is this a gift that can be revoked by continual disobedience
Mathew Feeley Response 10 to Alicia Johnston Assignment 5
I agree with your statement that "justification and sanctification (so called) are both applying force in the same direction (when rightly understood)" and when you say that "we are helpless to achieve either." I'm just wondering however what your understanding of Philippians 2:12 where Paul says "to work out your own salvation." In this passage it seems like we have work to do.
The purpose of the law is letting us know what sins are. But Paul still talk about dead. When we die to sin, we do not have to live as a servant of sin. If we are still living as a servant of sin, it means we are not died yet to sin. This is the evidence we died or not yet.
There is only one law. But Paul also says that there are two kinds of people who apply law to their life. The purpose God made law is to give us new life. Through the law we can see what sins are. This is the only purpose of law. But sometime we use law to kill others. And also sometimes we think that God made law to judge our sin. If we think like this, the purpose of law that God made for us is for dead. But Paul strongly mentioned that law is for life.
For using law as a tool to give us new life, we should died to sin first. This is the only way for getting a new life. Dying to sin is so important in our life. I am sure that is the first part works of law. Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. (Romans 7:13)
Assignment 8 Jinsoo Park
There are two laws. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. (Rom 8:2) the first law is law of the spirit of life in Christ. Why are there two laws? The main point is our mind. The one of the differences is how do we apply law in our life.
When we see law, what do we think? Do we see the death through the law? If we apply death in our life when we before law, that is law of sin and death. But now we must see new life through the law. When we apply the law in our life as a tool of new life, that is the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
This chapter contains the important text that is talking about the steps of salvation. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified (8:30) And through this text, I see the important of the works of God. In this world, the process of salvation is God’s work. He called us, predestined us, justified and glorified us. And even if the main focus is us who getting salvation, the all of things are worked by God.
It's true we're very good at beating ourselves up. Like Peter did it's tempting to give up when we fail Christ. But Christ doesn't give up on us; He looks for us; He forgives us and gives us the opportunity to walk with again. Praise God!!
Romans chapter 12 marks a shift in Paul’s discourse. Up to this point he has been making theological arguments. Now he begins to practically apply the theology he has been teaching.
The chapter begins by Paul exhorting the believers: “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Paul has been talking about salvation: what it is, how it works, how to receive it, etc. Now he tells the believers how to live once they have received God’s free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ.
I’m intrigued by this concept of presenting our bodies as living sacrifices. Considering that Paul is writing to Jews, he is no doubt drawing imagery from the Hebrew sacrificial system. Instead of a lamb, though, the believers are to offer their bodies. We ourselves are the living sacrifice which we offer to God. What does this mean? How do we present ourselves as living sacrifices? Paul tells us in the rest of the chapter.
Paul’s teaching in the following verses is intensely practical. He tells us what being a living sacrifice is not (it is not conformity to this world’s standards). He tells us what living sacrifices do together in the body of Christ (each member has a specific role to play, and none of them look down on any of the others). And he tells us how living sacrifices behave. They treat each other with love and respect. They work to serve the church as a whole. They are humble, joyful, hardworking, peaceable. Rather than being vengeful, they trust God to work true justice for them. They never give in to evil; instead they overcome it with good.
After reading all of these qualities, the character of living sacrifices, a burning question weighs on my mind: What would our churches look like if we actually put Paul’s teaching into practice? What if we all became living sacrifices?
Mathew Feeley Response 12 to Wayne Jamel Assignment 5
I agree with your conclusion on perfection. Would you say the same applies to us being "spotless" or "blameless" as the New Testament describes us before the coming of Christ?
Wow, your observation about how we use the law to kill others and to judge is deep! I don’t know if I’ve ever thought about it like that before. We end up turning God’s good law into something deadly because we use it as a weapon of condemnation. That is truly sobering.
The battle between good and evil, the spiritual man and the man of sin, the fight for life, the fight of our lives, is depicted in chapter seven. Paul states, “The good that I want to do I do not, the sin that I do not that is what I do.” “O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death? I praise God for Jesus… so with my mind I serve god but with the flesh the law of sin.
The battle between the flesh and the spirit is ongoing and rages ferociously. The Christian cannot even see the battle without the spirits help. Before I was saved I didn’t care but once the spirit came the battle was for real.
There is no victory in the war without complete surrender to Christ. Christ is the only one who is able to defeat the flesh. The battle can be quite hard but it is God’s desire that all are victorious. If one learns to lean completely on the spirit of God then victory will be inevitable. The bible says that whatsoever is born of God will overcome the world. It is a guarantee that we shall be victorious if we only lean. Apart from Christ there can be on victory.
Mathew Feeley Response 13 to Alicia Johnston Assignment 11
Excellent comparison of the words faith, belief, and trust. You have shown the differences and similarities clearly. Personally, I like the word trust when it comes to issues of salvation. Blessings
Paul said “Christ is the end of the law”. I was thinking that “Is this text meaning Christ is the purpose of law?” if so, after he died, law is not need anymore. Because he was the the only purpose of law.
Paul mentioned two righteousness that one is God’s way, righteousness by faith, and the other is human’s way, righteouness by law. And the reason that Jews was failed was they just thought law as a human’s way. They tried to get righteousness by law. But God does not want to do that for us. That is not the purpose God gave us law. God want us to use law as a God’s way. God want us to have righteousness by faith. So I knew that this text means Jesus is the end of the law that used by Jews. Jesus is end of the human’s way. He did end the way to get righteousness by law. So that is why Paul said, For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. (Rom 10:3)
Romans chapter 13 is a chapter I feel we often overlook (to our detriment, I might add). I don’t know if this applies to all parts of the world, but it sure seems like those of us who are natives of the United States totally miss what Paul says in this chapter.
Now, I don’t pretend to have a perfect understanding of Paul’s theology. I’m not going to assume that my exegesis of this chapter is flawless. But here are some of my thoughts on it. Before I begin, I should also add that I am not anti-American (lest anyone think so by what I am about to say). But neither do I value my American citizenship higher than my heavenly citizenship. I am first and foremost a Christian. Then I am an American.
Paul strongly warns us against rebelling against earthly authorities in this chapter. As followers of Jesus, we are to submit ourselves to the secular governing authorities. They have been established by God (we need only to look to Dan. 2 for added emphasis on this point). If we resist earthly authorities, we are actually defying God Himself, since He is the one who sets up earthly authorities. Our submission even affects our pocketbooks; we are to pay taxes to our governments when they require it.
Now the tricky part (I refer the reader once again to my second paragraph). How does this apply to us Americans, who are so proud of our revolutionary heritage? Every year on July 4 we celebrate our rebellion against the king of England. What might Paul have said to our Founding Fathers if he were alive at that time? This question especially disturbs me because a key issue in the American Revolution was the paying of taxes—something that Paul mentions specifically in Romans 13! It further concerns me because I see many Americans, Christians included, continuing to display defiant and rebellious attitudes toward the government today, especially in the area of taxes. Today we even have the rise of the so-called Tea Party, which harkens back to our tax-hating, government-resisting, rebellious origins. If we don’t like something about the government, we think it’s our right to overthrow it and start all over (that idea is right there in the Declaration of Independence).
Now, I count it a privilege to be an American citizen. There are many great things that I love about this country. There are also some things I don’t love. This nation and its government are far from perfect (obviously; it’s made up of sinful humans). Are our eyes open to our civic shortcomings?
I believe that Christ calls us to a total transformation of character. Everything we are is to be brought under subjection to His will. This includes our civic lives. The preceding analysis (which I tried to make as brief as possible; there’s a lot more I could say on this topic) leads me to wonder if we American Christians are truly living up to our high calling. Paul in this chapter links salvation with submission to earthly authorities. What do we do this teaching? Do we skim over this chapter? Reinterpret it in a manner more favorable to the United States? Find a way to make it non-applicable to us? Or do we allow it to convict us?
“The battle can be quite hard but it is God’s desire that all are victorious.” Thank you for that inspiring thought. I need to be reminded of that often. Sometimes when the battle is especially difficult, we grow discouraged. But we need to remember that we always have Jesus on our side! He’s the one who will lead us to victory.
ON THE CLASS DISCUSSION TODAY After class I stopped by the little gathering around Dr. Hannah and I got this insight on a problem I always issued with. How does God see time? If we had at least some study done on this matter it would be absolutely amazing because it would help interpret some of the main issues with Predestination in the Bible. I asked our professor if there’s History in Eternity, which is an essential question on how God sees time. If Eternity has a History so there’s past, present and future in God’s realm and Dr. Hannah elaborated that if there’s history so God knows the future but then another question comes up: If He knows the future does he change it? Or even a more daring approach would be, can He change it? Of course we believe that God can do everything so he can change it but it that something he does? So many questions that are very particular to the topic of Salvation because it relates to aspects of How God sees things and how he relates to them or they relate to him. Issues like this of God and time are important in our way of reading God’s word and interpreting it as it would bring a better foundation for ur understanding of God’s nature and His plan for our salvation. So here the question remains: “ How does God sees time? Anyone want to take a shot at this and solve the enigma? God bless you all
I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Roman 12:1-2)
This Bible text is my favorite text. We should know that what God did for us, and what God want us to do for salvation. As we know, he works in our life. When I read verse 2, I could find God’s wiil for us. Surely, God did something for us. He planed a plan just for me. Paul says, we may prove it. For doing this, our mind should be renewed.
What is the worship. Worship is acceptance God as our savior. That is why we praise him who is our savior. And verse 1 says we should give him our bodies and our all mind. That is our spiritual worship, our real worship that we must give him.
Roman 13 is taling about serveral topics. I want to focus on the love, the second part of this chapter. Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Roman 13:8-10)
As we know ten commendment is can be divide two parts. One is loving Jesus. The other is loving people. And Paul make sure that the last part of ten commendment by verse 9. If have love in our heart, we must not do wrong to a neighbor. And love is the fulfilling of the law. I heard a story from friend of mine. Bible has 66 books. And if we summarize the whole Bible as a word, that is love. Love is perfect explaination of law. The only thing the law talk about is love. It is so important message for us. If we obey God’s law without love, that is not obedience. Jews did like this. They just obey God’s law even if they really did not want to obey. For obedience, we should have love in our heart first. This is the first step of obedience.
I agree that the salvation is mercy business. without mercy there will be no salvation. I want to use other word "grace". in fact we are not possible to get the salvation, but God gave us by his grace and mercy. that is the point why we can be possible to get salvation.
We are the life that living for God. Most of our time, we are living for ourselves. But Paul said that is not the life as a christian. We were born to live for God. That is why Paul said “None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.” If we are real christian, if we are really God’s people we should live for him.
When we apply this message in our life, we can get wonderful change in our life. Verse 8 says “If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.” There is nothing for us even our death. Some one might think that even if we are God’s people, our life is ours, not God’s. But Paul strongly tells that all of us are God’s even our life. So if the others blame me, that does not make us angry. If people want me to work as a servant of them, that does not make me upset. Because I am not mine, but God’s even our life.
Romans 15 says, our life is not for ourselves. verse 2 says "let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him." we should live for his neighbor and his good.
in fact, the life of Jesus was not for himself but others. "For Christ did not please himself."
Christ was the light of the world. when we think about light, what is the purpose of the light? when we turn on the light, after turning that, we never focus on the light. what I want to talk about is the purpose of light is not the light. the purpose of light is just to let us see well others.
Jesus was the light in this world. and we should live as a light. Paul mentioned about this through his other book "for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light" this is what God want us to live, and also this is the life Christ lived.
ASSIGNMENT # 12 MARCO QUARTEROLI LAST THOUGHTS ON SALVATION I had a blessed time with the Class this Semester, it made think and will continue to make study the topics as they come up in my ministry. But one thing is sure, Salvation is a marvelous gift from God, one we didn’t deserve and to learn that it is a process and not a complete action, consummated in one point in time in my life is to bring down all the things I had learn since childhood. I was taught that Jesus had saved me and that was the end of the story, everything else was just a matter of time and we would be in Heaven. I guess that works when you are a kid in Catechism and dreaming about being a priest someday. This process (Justification, Sanctification, glorification) lasts a lifetime, the Holy Spirit brings us to Jesus who pays the price for my redemption, Jesus takes me to the Father so I can inherit the Heavens and the Earth as promised in His Word. It is a perfect mechanism produced by the divine mind in order to save the fallen race. It is daunting to behold such Initiative by a God that was betrayed and receive His forgiveness after we are still in rebellion. The class helped me to see these things in a greater light and I am now immersed in this amazing river of blessings from God’s Word. Thank you all
Justification is from the future for present obedience. (Rom 3:28, Gal 2:16; 3:11-14). This is connected to our lifestyle of obedience to Christ and living in harmony with His will living according to His works
In forgiving our past disobedience the obedience of Christ is placed to the account of the repentant sinner. Understanding the fact that justification has two directions to it helps to balance the apparent tension between what Christ has done for us in the past and what He does for us in the future "The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he is incapable of rendering it. The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner’s account. Christ’s righteousness is accepted in place of man’s failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul,[and] treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loved His Son." Selected Messages, vol. 1, 367. At the end of time God declares those who have accepted Christ as savior from sin justified and that is because of Christ and what He has done.
The true Christian does not work to be saved. He works the works of Christ because he is saved. Such an experience fills the heart with unspeakable joy and peace. He is having a true and living relationship with his Savior, an experience that makes it possible for him to achieve victory over every temptation and sin.
Sanctification is the work of Christ within us, but not without us. Even when we cooperate with God in the experience of sanctification, it is not our cooperation that brings sanctification. We can consider Paul’s expression “from faith to faith” to mean advancing from justification or in terms that God gives us faith and then we respond to Him in faith in order to be justified.
I really like what you wrote. Faith is so important in our life, that is the only way to get righteousness of God. sometime we try to get righteousness by law, but that is so dangerous thought. thank you for wonderful message.
Christ on the inside of the believer is the passport to glory; Col 1:27-29. The ministry of the Spirit/righteousness is glorious: the ministry of the Spirit is more glorious than the giving of the letter of the law at Sinai. Through the infilling of the Spirit the believer gets prepared for glory. Righteousness by faith is evidenced by faith working through love: Gal 5:5, 6. Rom 5:1,2,5 give three items that are evident in the life of a Christian.
I really enjoy that two directions what Christ done for us past, and what will do for us future. sometime we are just living for only future, our salvation that we will get future, our future life. but without past what Christ did for us, there will be no salvation in our future.
Response to Kevin Assignment 10 "In Acts Paul is man who needs to experience the power of the gospel. We see a man who knew the law, but never knew his true soul poverty. We see a man who knows everything about the bible, yet he did not know Christ." I really appreciate this comment, it shows the difference between the knowing of the gospel, and knowing the Gospel
Straight testimony, have we lost that element in our message? Is balance now replaced with politically correct? As pastors are we giving our member the balanced straight testimony?
Response to Joel #8 "There is no victory in the war without complete surrender to Christ. Christ is the only one who is able to defeat the flesh. "
Doesn't Christ win, without me acknowledging the war or victory? Even those who are lost are not aware of the spiritual warfare, but it does not me that the battle is lost...
The atonement is a concept that most Christians talk about but is probably the most misunderstood. The interesting thing about Salvation and the gospel is that it is both simple and complicated at the same time. Ellen G. White is clear that Christ’s death was able to fulfill the penalty we should have obtained because of sin and paid the debt that we owe. This is pretty much the simple part of Christianity and salvation. Christ has done all the necessary duties that secured our redemption. The complicated portion is that even though Christ died for all, once and all, and even though his sacrifice is complete in and of itself not everyone will be saved. People must still choose Christ for themselves. And yes even that seems simple enough but most Adventists today don’t adhere to the belief that says, once saved always saved. So it stands to reason that men and women must choose God not once or twice but daily; over and over again. So even though Christ’s atonement was complete at Calvary it still really cant save anyone who does not want to be saved. And furthermore since I have already touched on a sensitive issue about the atonement, I will go even a step further. I found interesting the point that Dr. Hanna made in class concerning the “completion” of Christ’s work. In keeping with our perspective it would appear that Christ finished his work when He arose to Heaven. But when we really think about, as Dr. Hanna mentioned at one point, wasn’t Christ’s work pretty much as good as done when he stated it in the Garden (Genesis 3:15). Or rather was it way back in heaven when Sister white says that even before man needed redemption (in the sense of real time), Christ had already petitioned the father to go down and save them. So which one was it? Was mankind already saved before the cross or at the cross? I don’t have any answers the atonement is definitely simple and complex at the same time.
Thank you for that post Jinsoo. It brought a fairly new angle to the text. We often think of the light and salvation in a selfish manner in regards to ourselves but the light is also for us to see others better as well. again thank you
response to pastor rechard reed. it is true pastor, i agree with you that in order for us to understand the humanity nad the divine nature of Jesus Christ , we have to be born again!
A variety of special music is actually why absolutely perfect as well as background music will be the New Age. Therefore like the other African nations, it also is a poor state.
765 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 601 – 765 of 765Assignment #13
For the final blog in the class Doctrine of Salvation I am going to blog on the last chapter of Romans. There was a text that as I read the chapter jumped out at me as an encouragement for my journey of salvation. The text is Romans 16 verse 19 and 20, “For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil” then in verse 20, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” The text talks first about the spread of the obedience they have kept. As part of a new creation in Christ they have by their works of faith has spread to all. Then the counsel of Paul was brought to their ears from the reading of the letter, “wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.” Paul understood that just because they were obedient now they might not always be obedient. This counsel might have been a struggle as the book of Romans was dealing with throughout, so Paul gave light to the end of their tunnel. Paul put in the letter the end of the great controversy, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” This part of salvation is crucial. We will not reach salvation if we are sadden and discouraged by the struggles with deceptions from Satan. God wants us to focus on Him victorious. I believe that is why Paul also puts the image of crushing Satan under your feet.
Assignment three
Romans chapter 1
Paul writes to the church at Rome. He writes this letter to introduce the gospel that was given to him by Jesus Christ. Paul did not establish the church at Rome but he desires to visit them. He writes this letter in expectation of a near visitation to the church members.
He tells them that he has received his apostleship from Christ and that he is not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power unto salvation. Both for the Greek and the Jew, and the just shall live by faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul then begins to tell of the plight that he sees the world falling into. He begins by telling them that god has made himself available to man through the revelation of Jesus Christ. Mankind has not been susceptible to the revelation of Christ even though it is quite obvious that Christ was and is in fact god in the flesh. Due to this blatant denial of divinity the god has given mankind over to a reprobate mind. in which he or she will do the unseemingly atrocious acts that debase and deprave mankind below the very beasts that they were given dominion over.
Paul labels the attributes to having a moral depraved and debased mind and states that those who are committing such things are worthy of death and still they find pleasure in doing the very things that are displeasing to god.
He states that though they profess themselves to be wise they have become fools and turned the image of the god into something corruptible and defiled. Even though all around there is evidences that show that God is and forever shall be.
Response to Youngkyo Suh said...
Assignment 6
Youngkyo Suh
That was an interesting blog written on the dynamics of Salvation article. Good idea on the cross being more dynamic than we think. Nice use of Romans 6 on the central focus of the great controversy.
Assignment 7
God’s DNA Test
Nowadays Many People Do DNA Test to Prove If a Person Is There Biological Child. If God Did a DNA Test on You What Would Be the Result? Within our churches though a lot of Christian’s claim to be God’s children, for many there are strong doubts over whether God is our biological Father. Many who say that God is their father, look nothing like Him? They may say that God is our dad but if we do not have God’s hereditary traits he cannot accept them us as his own. Romans 8 teaches that the confirmation that we are God’s children is the Holy Spirit. Through Him we receive the genetic traits of our Father as a sure sign that we are His.
Today we must allow Spirit to implant the genes that identify you as God’s children. When the fruit of love’s love is found in our hearts, He not only has legal rights to us, intimate fatherly relationship with the God of heaven. If the traits are not displayed in our lives, He will have God will say concerning us, “that is not my child.” Apart from the Spirit we will not have God’s genetic information and it will show up that we do not belong to Him. For the reality is, though one might be in the family circle, if they do not have the family genes they are not apart of God’s family.
Fortunately, God is still taking adoption papers. His Son Jesus Christ gives everyone who trust Him the right to become God’s child. This allows the Spirit to supernaturally make us into genuine children of God. A person won’t need to pretend to be a family member because they will naturally have the family resemblance. They won’t have to try to work their way into heaven but will inherit heaven as their family right. And daily the Holy Spirit will continually transmit the family genes so that we can constantly display the family features and share in the family privileges.
Assignment 8
Living Sacrifices
This chapter of Romans 12 highlights the goal of the entire gospel which is to bring us to the point of surrendering oneself to Jesus Christ. Paul says that in light of the mercies of God we should present ourselves to God as living sacrifices. Only seeing what God has given for me could motivate me to give of myself for Him. I have always struggle with presenting myself to God. I’ve always asked how do I give myself to Him? Now I realize that it is Christ sacrifice that initiates and enables my own. Paul also specified that God wants a living sacrifices, which means that God doesn’t simply want my ritual sacrifice, what he really wants is my life. He’s wants me to present myself to Him as a wife would yield all of herself the intimate affections of her husband. What he wants is the life, the real me, to give my entire being over to being loved by Him. God wants me to present my life as signed blank sheet that He fills out as he sees fit. God wants me to be like the little girl who was under a Christmas tree surrounded with gifts when she wrapped her head with a red ribbon and turn to her Father and said look daddy” I’m a present.” Jesus wants us to do the same, covered by the atoning blood of Christ; I can give myself as a living holy gift. Like this child I can live knowing that the best thing I can give is me, my intimacy, my affections, and my life.
Assignment 9
Romans 12 Reflection
In reading Roman’s twelve I want to see how the gospel applies to Christian life. According to Paul, the mercies of God leads to radical Christian living that forces us to do something that is the outflow of who we are in Christ. As Paul says it is what Christ has done for us and who he is to us that motivate us to sacrifice our self to God. As living sacrifices God moves us to present ourselves to him, to offer up ourselves to Him, to give up/give over everything that makes up who we are to God everyday of our lives. We are willing to sacrifice our ideas, desires, and pleasures, give up ourselves and let go of ourselves for God. The Christian has a duty to willing offered themselves to God as a living sacrifice. This is what worship is, humble sacrifice and all out surrender. A living sacrifice is one who is all God’s they are no longer their own. They become God’s property, they are God, owed, God controlled, God possessed. They live for God, they live to do what God wants. As a living sacrifice to God, I am committed out of willing obligation to God’s will for their life. This Christian sacrifice must be of a certain character: 1. It must be holy 2. It must be acceptable 3. It is a outflow of spiritual worship So what does a sacrificed Christian look like? A truly sacrificed Christian will and stay conformed. A truly sacrificed Christian will undergo transformation, which takes place through the renewing of the mind. A truly sacrificed Christian will be able to discern God’s perfect will, and we will have the spiritual understanding that God’s will is always good, acceptable and perfect. As a result a truly sacrificed Christian will be committed to doing God’s perfect will.
Assignment 10
Romans 1 Reflection
The Power of the Gospel
See a church in need of a fresh dose of the gospel….
In the letter to the Romans, we encounter a man by of Paul, he begins his letter by establishing his personal relationship to the church of Christ, he identifies him self by three titles, a servant, an apostle and one set apart for the gospel of God. A few verses down in chapter one of Romans declares his obligation to the Gospel. His words are I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because it is the miraculously power of God to save all who believe.
Earlier in his life however, we see a totally different Paul that the one we see in Romans. In the book of Acts we don’t see an apostle or servant of Christ rather we see a man bent on persecuting God’s church and stopping the spread of this gospel. In Acts Paul is man who needs to experience the power of the gospel. We see a man who knew the law, but never knew his true soul poverty. We see a man who knows everything about the bible, yet he did not know Christ. Paul had a lot going for him, he was a very promising theologians of his time, he was apart of the religious elite and he live his life believing he was doing the work of God. Paul himself said, if there is any man who should have confidence in the flesh it is me. Paul’s whole world was about to be turned upside down. In the brightness of day God appeared to Paul, knocked him off his high horse and confronted him with his true condition, of which he later wrote that He is chief of sinners whom Jesus came to save. On the Damascus Road Paul experienced for the first time in his life the power of the gospel. He had been exposed to religious things, he has excelling on a human scale, but although Paul was seeming doing well in the area of religious life, up to that point he never truly experience the good news of Jesus power to save even the worst of sinners. For the rest of his life, Paul lived this gospel, he was a living testimony of its power and he obligated his life to preaching of God’s power to save to all who would hear.
Assignment 11
Romans 5 Reflection
The last section of Romans 5 discussed the first and second Adam. According to Paul all humanity is connected with the first Adam (the natural and legal head of the human race) as depraved and guilty sinners, and so are included in the sentence of death which God pronounced on him. However, all who are connected with the last Adam, Jesus, through repentance and faith in His redeeming work, are forgiven, have ‘received the free gift of righteousness’, and so ‘have passed from death to life’ (Colossians 1:14; Romans 5:17; 1 John 3:14).
Assignment 12
Romans 3 Reflection
The Law and Gospel
There are certain things that the law CANNOT DO and there are certain things that the law CAN DO. According to this verse, what is the law unable to do? It is unable to justify sinful man. But this same verse teaches that the law can give men the knowledge of sin. It can show man his utter sinfulness. The purpose of the law may be illustrated by a MIRROR. As I carry on the activities of the day, I may somehow get dirt on my face and not even realize it. A mirror serves a wonderful purpose of showing me that I have a dirty face. It shows me that I have a problem. But the mirror cannot wash away the dirt! Likewise, God's holy law can show me that I am a guilty sinner (incapable of keeping God’s holy commandments), but it can never save me. It can only condemn me and show me that I need a Saviour. Just as the mirror should drive you to the soap and water, so the Law should drive you to the LAMB of God who is able to save you and take away your sins!
Assignment 13
Romans 8
In my reflection on Romans 8 my last posting just wanted to see the role of the Spirit in obedience. How man can keep the law through the Holy Spirit? According to Paul, it is through the Spirit of God based on Christ death and resurrection that man is enable to fulfill the law in us. Though the Holy Spirit believers gain the righteous standard of the law - love. Once the righteous requirements of the law is fulfilled in us we can them to live according to God’s law operating in the Spirit of love to others.
Response to Joel
Joel I definitely agree that the revelation of God has been made available to man and it is through man's rejection of that revelation we see the consequences in man's very nature in their sinfulness acts and moral depravity.
Response to Nancy Thomas
Nancy that was a very powerful thoughts you shared about the atonement of Christ. Showing that it is not simply there for past forgiveness of sin at the cross put that it has present value in as it is applied to the believers life here and now. Clear and powerful aspect of Ellen White's emphasis!
Assignment 10
Alexander Rybachek
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Chapter 10 I found interesting because it explains the mistake Jews had committed in not receiving Christ as Savior and Messiah.
The text is saying that reason behind the refusal of Christ was: For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God (Romans 10:3). The submission to God’s righteousness. This is very strong imperative statement. We are not used to this kind of language when we deal with theology in XXI century. We obey IRS, governments, laws and regulations of earthly powers, but not God’s righteousness, because God’s righteousness seems to be such an easy thing to obtain – just enjoy your being in the church. However we see that God’s righteousness requires submission and is not something to take easy as a joke.
I am a wrestler and I know what submission means in reality. When the opponent grabs your body so it becomes impossible to breath of go through the pain you submit by hitting the mat or tatami. This is forced submission. But have no other way but submit. Christ yet is waiting for us to submit deliberately. It is so much different with God – He provides everything for benevolent submission yet He is patiently waiting for our submission. Yet our own benevolent submission is very hard to obtain, because we sometimes are stick to our sins and egos. Thus Paul says this was the reason for our own refusal of Christ as savior – we pursue our own righteousness that has NOTHING to do with Christ’s righteousness.
Later on in the text Paul would say that the righteousness of God is available 24/7, “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:8-9). Also "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved"(Romans 10:13). Thus we see that the salvation is near to everyone who believes. In order to believe is enough to hear, that is why Paul exclaims with OT prophet "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!" (Romans 10:15). This is true and simple Gospel. – we have to submit to God’s righteousness and forget about our own righteousness. Our righteousness was obtained by Christ on the Cross of Calvary, but our own righteousness brought Him there.
Assignment #11
Romans 11
Alexander Rybachek
I remember taking Exegesis in Romans class and the discussion we had on chapter 11. The chapter is reach in paradoxes and controversial opinions on what Paul had in view when he was writing these words. I remember there was an issue with recognizing that we are not the root of faithful people. The root is the Israel and we are the branches.
The issue was whether we are supposed to be exulting ourselves against others who fall apart from the faith. Paul is amazing: Romans 11:11-12 But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! We are enriched by the rejection of Jews with the word of Jesus Christ.
Paul’s logic is simple – if the rejection of Christ by Jews enriches Gentiles in a marvelous way, how much more their acceptance of Jesus will enrich the Gentiles? I like that kind of mentality. This is in harmony with Pauline theology when in Rom 8:28 he would say that for those who love God all things will work for good. Thus if God is able to use the rejection of His name for good, how much more He is able to use acceptance of His name for greater good!
This is the message for my churches – God is able to work every evil thing for our good if we trust in Him. I do not know How, but He is able. When it comes to salvation many church members are confused and do not realize this quality of God to make everything working for our good. Thus they are trying to work their own salvation. They have to read this passage where Paul explains omnipotence of God in salvation. This is the right perspective to start with. Without this perspective in mind it is hard to go in any theological discussions.
For example, I wrote my paper on Sanctification and Perfectionism in Historical Context. I have read a lot of material and by the end of that process I was completely lost. I did not know whether I am saved and how I am to be saved. I lost the right perspective. I did not have it before the research and did not find it reading the books. So I had to go down to the basics of salvation – God is able to save us. The 11th chapter proves it from different angle – even the rejection of Jesus Christ God the Father is able to use for His glory.
Assignment 12
Alexander Rybachek
Romans 12
Romans 11 ends with powerful doxology passage: Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 "For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?" 35 "Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?" 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. This is the end of another section of Romans. The following section will have different contents, however we will see Pauline logic in action. The way these two parts of Romans are united is a good example of Pauline way thinking.
After such exultation follows practical application of how saved person behaves like. It is to be noticed that the participles are used here to express cohortative. For example in Rom 12:12 te elpidi hairontes “rejoice in hope” is translated as imperative. However we do not have direct imperative here. It is very easy to confuse desire and wish of the speaker with the imperative. I grew up in conservative environment and quite often I have heard the imperative “rejoice” from people who were far from real joy as earth from the sun. all the chapter is in that key. We are to understand the entire chapter as a description of the life in Christ rather than I command to live Christlike without His help.
My point here is to demonstrate small twist of the language when we speak of our salvation. God requires us to submit ourselves to God first and then He shows what it looks like to be one with Him. We start differently – with imperative and no hope for those who do not perform well.
The structure of Romans implies that first goes transformation, death or crucifixion of self, exaltation of Jesus on the throne of our hearts, complete dedication of our lives to Christ, and only after that we have the description of Christlike life. We like to jump straight to Christlike life missing all the previous steps. No wonder people come and leave the church in despair with no hope in the future – they tried their best in Christlike life and of cause failed regardless of the sincerity of their intents. Thus Rom 12:12 te elpidi hairontes is not to be understood as an imperative per se, but as a result of the right steps to Christ.
Chapter 12 is an amazing example of what Christ is able to produce in our lives if Romans 1-11 are not missing in our walk with Christ.
Assignment 13
Alexander Rybachek
On practical application of Romans…
In my last reflection of what I have been studied in the Doctrine of Salvation I would like to add something to my previous reflection. I had written in the last reflection that the imperatives that we see in the practical part of Romans are not to be understood as something that has to be accomplished by itself. Like: give me 5 things I should do to be saved. And Christian gurus are sending you to the end of Romans saying: “this is you what shall do and will be saved.” No. This was not Pauline intent. His motive was to illustrate what the Christlike life of a Christian. It is the result that is described in Rom 12-16, not the striving or target. The target of Christian is Christ Himself, and the rest is the result of Christ abiding in an individual.
The other side of the coin is that some may say – I do not need any prove of Christlike life. God is in my heart and I do not care about the outside evidence. This is wrong as well. Even Rom 12-16 are describing Christlike life not as a target, but as a result, it may be also said that without right result the true target – that is Jesus and His abiding presence in our hearts - is not achieved. So these two things are important, but have to follow in their sequence. However they are impossible one without another. The right sequence helps us to avoid heresies and unbalanced views.
Another verse I would like to discuss is Romans 13:10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Love is the fulfillment of the law, but we cannot say that love is the target of our Christlike life as well. Love is the fulfillment, but the target is still Christ Himself. God is love – this is one of the descriptions of His Divine character. There is no doubt that love best describes God’s reign and authority. But love is the description of God, His attribute. It cannot include all of God’s identity. Thus we still need to be focused on God and the fulfillment of God’s law (love) is only an indicator whether we are on the right track.
I do not try to refuse the Bible text, I try to read the text the way it is written without additions that we have made during the ages.
For example, a woman says to pastor: “God is love and I feel love for this gentleman that is not my husband. I know I am married to another man, but if God is love and I feel such a wonderful feeling towards this individual, than this must come from God.” This is the example of the wrong reading of the text. Love was not the goal itself. God is the center of everything and I doubt that lady would say the same thing after she would read clearly that God’s law is best expressed in love. If love is not supported by God’s law than this is not love at all. People will find themselves excuses for committing sins anyway, but I want that less and less people would use Bible text as green light for their sinful desires. We have to be focused on the Ruler, Perfecter, and Savior Christ Jesus, and the practical life will prove His presence in our lives. But if we are focused on the rules and perfection without knowing the Ruler and the Perfecter – we are predestined to fail in our faith. It is just the matter of time when it will happen
Assignment #6
Alexander Rybachek
Romans chapter 6 after the description of the gift of Jesus Christ in previous chapter starts describing the benefits of gift of Jesus. The life in Christ Jesus is supposed to be the life without sin. Death to sin is death assimilated with the death of Christ. But the dead man is no longer sinning. That is why Paul stresses the idea of death in this chapter. There is no way for converted Christian to live in sin. We are dead to sin after the conversion.
Paul excludes the possibility of volitional life in sin after death to sin (Romans 6:6-7 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.) Thus the freedom from sin is leading us to question: now what? If all that we did before was sin and sinful life after death where do we go?
Paul never leaves the reader without hope. Romans 6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. Also Romans 6:11-12 says: Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
I was very uncertain of what it really means to be dead to sin. Once my friend took me for a walk into a beautiful cemetery. As we walked he explained that people that were buried there were no longer sinning. They are obviously dead. Satan has no longer power over them. That what it means to be dead to sin. If we are dying for sin and live for Christ - Satan is not able to do anything with us. Yes, there is always a possibility for relapse, but relapse is not necessary.
When I speak about relapse I do not speak about some of the sins that we commit as sinner. We will never become completely free from sin unless Jesus comes or we physically die. But I refer here to the life in sin (Romans 6:2 How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?). We should not be depressed with sins that we commit along the way to heaven. Rather we should worry about not living in the life of sin on the way to heaven.
That is the difference – our direction. Even if we take David and his sin – that was not his direction of life. His life was in God, but on the way to heaven he committed adultery and murder. The life of a converted Christian is full of trials – devil is working hard on that. But at the same time his life should be overflowing with the gift of Jesus Christ. As we saw in previous chapter Christ is more than we need. Thus the joy of Christianity is not in a certain state of philosophical purity – but life full of Jesus Christ. This is what Paul is talking about when he says: But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life (Romans 6:22). Because: the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) Indeed this is the result of life with Jesus – eternity, but eternity is not the goal, it is a result. The goal is still – Jesus Christ and life in Him.
Response to Young Suh’s assignment 12 …
Thanks for posting concerns on double predestination.
I struggled with the concept people have created for a long time. Everything that is stretched comes to the matter of elite and minor class people. Thus we have with predestination in human view those that were predestined to be saved and those who were supposed to perish from the eternity. Unbelievable - we create gods according to our image. We like to have elite class and to belong to it. We do not like elite when we do not belong there. Thus I am always suspicious when people claim to objectivity by making elite group on subjective basis. Thanks Young Suh.
Response to Mathew Feeley, Assignment 10, Romans 10
I see that the texts you have chosen to reject the idea of predestination of people regardless of their choice are good once. My question is: these texts are more dealing with the ability of human choice. That is fine, however the people who are talking about predestination to life or death regardless choice say that even choices are predestined as well. How to respond to this statement by using the Scripture? Thanks for reflection
Response to Nancy Thomas Assignment 14
Nancy thanks for your reflection. I enjoyed reading it. I agree with you on the use of the Jewish festivals for Christians. We are not obliged to keep them. As you have earlier stated New Testament does not require us to do so. However I see that we may learn from those holidays a lot in sense of being more grateful than we are as Christians. Old Testament has its own festival to thank God for the cross – Passover. Other festivals were dealing about different events including regular labor, freedom from other things, etc. I wonder if we would benefit from learning the way Jews were able to thank God for His involvement in their lives. Even at the time of harvest was a festival. We have only thanksgiving only. Besides the cross that we should celebrate 24/7 we are to learn from them how to thank God from everything. What do you think Nancy?
Response to Kevin Solomon Assignment 10
Thanks a lot for biographical sketch of Paul before and after Jesus. Everyone who meets Jesus is never the same person – transformation takes place. If people accept the person of Christ the transformation is for good, if people reject the person of Christ – the opposite happens. But the person of Christ is unique – He never lives you indefinite. I appreciate you describing Paul in need of Jesus even Paul had everything he needed in earthly sense. Yet when Jesus calls you and you see who He is you leave everything for just to be able to hear another word from Him. Thanks for reflection.
ASSIGNMENT 4
ROMANS 2
Romans chapter eight is a pivotal chapter in relationship to salvation. This chapter begins to explain the spiritual nature of the relationship between mankind and divinity. Bible states that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who no longer walk in the flesh but after the spirit. This a key point for if one understand what it means to walk in the spirit then they must also recognize the element of walking after the flesh. I think that it is the Christians duty to understand how he or she walks. As peter denounced Christ, upon his admission that he would be crucified, many Christians today are walking after the spirit of the world and flesh rather than the spirit of god.
This chapter speaks on being spiritually minded rather than carnally minded. The carnal mind cannot please god nor does it seek after the things of god. The carnal mind is in outright rebellion to god and will not heed nor listen to the instructions given by the savior. While in contrast the spiritual mind is capable of following after the principles of the kingdom of god and is also a prerequisite for being a son or daughter of god. This spiritual mind is the mind that makes one a true Christ and following after the spiritual mind in fact is in essence being a son or daughter of go.
Romans chapter eight is packed with a plethora of unpackaged elements that help the Christian to live out the sanctified life.
assignment 5
romans eight continued
One aspect of romans eight that is of key import is the role of the spirit in prayer. The bible states in we do not know what to pray for but the spirit prays for us with groans and utterances that we cannot understand with our limited human cogitations. The father in heaven understands what is the mind of the spirit and answers accordingly.
I find that god has richly blessed us as we journey closer and closer to him. What more could we need than the help of the spirit to communicate with the all-knowing one. Mankind’s limited understanding of reality keeps him shackled to what he or she can understand and see but god dwells in a specter that so far surpasses anything that we have ever seen.
God has given us the spirit by which we cry Abba father. Spiritual children gathered by god into the fellowship of divinity. We have the ability not only to communicate with the heavenly beings but to consider him father. A connection so close that we need no audible words to transmit our needs and cares to him.
I think that many men and women should take advantage of letting the spirit communicate for them to the father and creator of heaven and earth.
assignment 6
Romans chapter three has a key hinge point in its midst. This chapter depicts the nature of mankind as they strive to follow the Law of Moses. Verse twenty one states, “but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Here Paul makes a clear distinction between the way things were and the way thing are now. The righteousness of god has appeared unto all men and this righteousness is found in Christ. This righteousness is free to all who will come. Before Christ appeared righteousness was only given to the Jewish nation. Hither to righteousness is the free gift to all that have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no longer a distinction between the Jew and the gentile. They are now all on one accord. It is through the life death and resurrection of Christ that all men may now partake in the fruits of the spirits and the life that given by Jesus Christ.
This is a strange concept for the Jewish nation to accept for they believe that the gentile world is in apostasy and is not able to be saved. God has to reconfigure the Jewish way of thinking. No longer is there supremacy on salvation. Although there was never a supremacy, only a misrepresentation of the oracles of god through the Jewish nation, All along it had been the plan for all men to be saved. God chose the Jewish nation to be the lineage through which his son would come through.
Tyler Rosengren
Response #1 – Ryan Kilgore
Well Ryan, I know this is a little late for a response seeing how your reflection was the first on the list but nonetheless, to get credit and reflect at the same time I really appreciated the narrative style of your reflection. The fact that you told a story to make your point or thoughts come out clear was great. I don’t really have anything negative so keep up the good thoughts ☺
Tyler Rosengren
Response #2 – Landon Schnabel
I really appreciated how you highlighted the fact that Ellen White constantly grew in her walk with God and even in her understanding of who God is. I think that we all face similar challenges in our own lives and that is why someone like Whidden and Thompson can continue to write on such topics. And the more I think about it the more it makes sense even in my own life. If I try and think back to what my first conceptions of God were to them now I have grown a lot. Although, I must say, that Adventist evangelism did a good job in presenting a very kind and loving God to me ☺
Tyler Rosengren
Response #3 – Nick Clark
Nick, in your reflection on Romans 1:16 I really appreciated your common vernacular when you used the words “sold out”. I was trying to think of that in a literal sense and I found it a bit hard to think about. All I could think about what something in store that had nothing left. But, because I have heard that saying before a few times in another context I completely understood what you were saying. On the flip side, it may be tough for those new to this culture to understand, but I think that this will help them learn. Thanks for being relevant.
Tyler Rosengren
Response #4 – Ryan Kilgore
“A Ruthless Attack on Judaizers”. Nice. I like it. It seems that you have been able to really explain this chapter in words that carry deep meaning. I think that this ability to label things correctly will help you in your sermon prep in the future. I will be looking forward to reading and hearing more about you as we get older together in this wonderful world of Adventism ☺
Tyler Rosengren
Response #5 – Alicia Johnston
I was not able to read the same material you were on this assignment however because of what you have written I am very intrigued and want to go read a little more. Especially the insight you shared about how Ellen White’s writings were a little different before 1888 and after 1888 was what got my interest the most. Thank you for sharing this reading and your insights with the rest of us, as you can see in this case you have ‘redeemed’ my homework for this section ☺
Assignment #6
Michael Jones
Each chapter just keeps getting better! The use of language and theological thought in chapter six is beautiful. Paul elaborates upon some profound truths. The first idea that really jumps out at me is baptism. Paul writes that baptism is the decision to follow Christ, for just as He died and was resurrected, an individual chooses to die and walk in newness of life.
Some Christians say they worship on Sunday because Jesus was resurrected on the first day. Yet there is no Bible proof that Christ wanted his followers to come together for weekly worship on the day He was resurrected. However, Paul is very clear in Romans 6:3-6 that if one wants to follow Jesus, then by all means get baptized! For death and resurrection of new life of individuals are the indicators of Christ’s followers!
He goes on to say that baptism signifies that one has been “freed” from sin (verse 7), yet he clearly states that followers of Christ are slaves of righteousness (verse 18). He continues by stating that we are all slaves (verse 16). This is quite amazing, considering slaves were not looked upon favorably. It is as if Paul was evening the score in a sense. This use of slaves/freedom and death/life is just part of Paul’s ability to weave these everyday ideas into deep and beautiful theological truths.
His understanding of obedience is also worth noting. Simply put, we all obey! We either obey sin, which leads to death (verse16) or we obey righteousness and God, which leads to everlasting life (verse 22). When one has been delivered from sin, true obedience from the heart (verse 17) will be manifest in fruit to holiness (verse 22). He caps it off with a “cherry on top…”For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Tyler Rosengren
Response #6 – Reed Richardi
I agree with you that the idea that election and predestination do not seem like easy topics when you are in the book of Romans. In fact, it wasn’t until I took this class that the fuzziness of it all got a little less fuzzy. In response I just want to share my thoughts (mostly to help me clarify them for myself). I think what was talked about in class being that the election and predestination were aimed more at the idea of a chosen people rather than at salvation really opened up my eyes. Of course I need to do a lot more studying because it seems like I was way off in my thinking before this and I wonder how I got there when all I had read was the text itself. Either way, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Tyler Rosengren
Response #7 – Chester Clark III
I like how you focused on the fact that Paul did not just make an intellectual appea to the Gospel of Jesus Christ but also made an appeal to the heart. I think too often we (myself mostly) find ourselves digging in to the theology of the Bible for strictly intellectual purposes without remembering that the whole thing is about Jesus. Good thoughts! Aside from the assignments itself, did you know that you have an author’s name? Or at least what I would deem as a good author’s name. It just sounds really appealing with the two “C”s and the fact that you are the 3rd. It seems like it would look good on a book cover ☺
Tyler Rosengren
Response #8 – Michael Jones
I agree with you in the fact that there seems to be a lot more to learn about salvation than I had originally anticipated. I too felt I had some grasp on salvation and sometimes in this class it seems there is a lot more to it. However, I think that it’s not so much that there is more to salvation itself but more with just things that are surrounding salvation. I think the basic premise of accepting, believing, confessing is still as easy as it gets, however we often make it out to be more than that. On the other hand, it does help us have a continuous growth process during our intellectual development as humans. Not that being saved is any harder that ‘smarter’ we get, but it’s just that there is more to understand.
Tyler Rosengren
Response #9 – Jinsoo Park
I like how you emphasized the human experience in the whole plan of salvation. Yes there are some universal aspects that we can understand from a theoretical basis, but it really only comes down to our personal experience. Because even when we look at the universal aspects of salvation it is our own experience that is perceiving that universalism. Thus I agree that our experience in of prime importance and can never really be taken out of the equation if we really want to understand salvation. Especially when Paul says later on that we must have the renewing of the heart by Christ’s spirit.
Tyler Rosengren
Response #10 – Matthew Shallenberger
It is interesting to note the historical points that you mentioned concerning the 1880s and the Adventist church. I had never really seen them in the light that you shed on them. The fact that the preceding years were of almost as much importance to the 1888 Conference was a bit of light shed on me. I guess it would only make sense, but I enjoy how you emphasized the historical part of that in your reflection because it allowed me to put it in perspective as well.
Tyler Rosengren
Response #11 – Michael Liu
I appreciated how you were able to point out the juxtaposition in the book of Romans and you stated that they were idea opposing each other. I too have learned much from Dr. Hanna in not saying necessarily that these ideas are opposing each other but more to say that these ideas just shed different light on the same situation. He has helped me understand that the Bible is inspired and everything that is in there is there for reason, to help us understand salvation and how to have a relationship with God. The fact that even though they may seem to be opposite but that they really are both helpful was a good lesson I learned from the course.
Tyler Rosengren
Response #12 – Matt Feeley
I agree with Brother M that it is interesting to see that Brother B. called himself sinless. I too find that it is quite a notion to think that anyone could consider themselves sinless. I guess that is because I have often let the thought cross my mind and although I may not have done something evil or sinful in the past couple days I think that often times it is only because I lack the opportunity. Not that I am thinking of doing it, but I think that God’s grace keeps us away from temptation because he knows we couldn’t handle certain things at certain times. On the other hand, maybe it is because we are living by grace that we do not find ourselves tempted? I was recently asking myself the question as to whether or not God leads us into temptation. We are told to pray that we not be led into temptation, yet it was the Spirit who led Jesus to be tempted. Also it says that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to stand. I know, this means only more questions to answer, but for class that was more about questions than answers I think this will fit right it.
Tyler Rosengren
Assignment #13 – THE FINAL RESPOSNE!!!!!!!!! Wazoua Serge Roger
The idea of the substitution is something that I have struggled with as well. I think the points you pointed out were very good because each of them resonates with things that I have often wondered as well. Especially the idea of the law and how important (or is it) it is to the cause of God and what exactly He uses it for. I appreciated the texts that you used especially when you shared Romans 5:12, and 18:1. Keep up the good work and I know one day we will be sitting in somewhere in heaven during the millennium and perhaps we’ll bump into each other and talks about the very things we are wondering about now. I look forward to that day ☺
ASSIGNMENT # 6
ON THE BOOK ELLEN WHITE AND SALVATION
Chapter: Salvation and the great controversy theme
I was reading this chapter today and something just popped out of the pages and slapped me in the face. I was reading this: “it is the sophistry of Satan that the Death of Christ brought in grace to take place of the law . . . . God’s moral government and His grace are inseparable” (FW 30) pg. 36
This made me stop and think about God but on God’s perspective, by who He really is and What He did by sending His son to die for us at the cross. I look at God and see his mercy and Love by sacrificing his son for us and I at this time reading this chapter, the word “Moral” made me stop and wonder: His moral government is tied to this grace, so how difficult that is to govern a world that is full of sin? I mean I was born a sinner, I had no choice, I had no way out, I just was brought into a world that I didn’t fill with sin, I didn’t take part on the plot to overthrow the sovereignty of the Creator on this Planet and why should I suffer for all of these things if I didn’t have a choice? As choice is part of God’s kingdom and we call it “Free Will”, and although we are born with it we cannot exercise it at the time of birth, our parents just brought us into this World and carelessly made us be a part of a fallen race. That bothers me I confess! That I could not choose in a world created with free will, I could not choose to be here or not, I didn’t have a saying in if I wanted to live here or not. I see God’s mercy as Universal and limitless, I see God’s love as forever and bold, I see his Justice as a fearful trace of His character, after all His law demanded a sacrifice and if mankind cannot provide one I will die in their place, that ‘s a pretty fearful thing to think about. So I am born into this chaos and into a battle that I didn’t start and when I preach to my congregation I have to affirm them and comfort them about the outcome of the future but today for some reason the word “Moral” I made think about a God that seemed to be cornered also and had no other choice other than die for us. He was born into a World with a choice and lived with sinners by choice, and died at the right time by the foretold instrument (the cross) al of that by choice. I see myself so small before God when I look at the past and see that his morals are tied with his Justice no matter the cost.
ASSIGNMENT # 6
ON THE BOOK ELLEN WHITE AND SALVATION
Chapter: Salvation and the great controversy theme
I was reading this chapter today and something just popped out of the pages and slapped me in the face. I was reading this: “it is the sophistry of Satan that the Death of Christ brought in grace to take place of the law . . . . God’s moral government and His grace are inseparable” (FW 30) pg. 36
This made me stop and think about God but on God’s perspective, by who He really is and What He did by sending His son to die for us at the cross. I look at God and see his mercy and Love by sacrificing his son for us and I at this time reading this chapter, the word “Moral” made me stop and wonder: His moral government is tied to this grace, so how difficult that is to govern a world that is full of sin? I mean I was born a sinner, I had no choice, I had no way out, I just was brought into a world that I didn’t fill with sin, I didn’t take part on the plot to overthrow the sovereignty of the Creator on this Planet and why should I suffer for all of these things if I didn’t have a choice? As choice is part of God’s kingdom and we call it “Free Will”, and although we are born with it we cannot exercise it at the time of birth, our parents just brought us into this World and carelessly made us be a part of a fallen race. That bothers me I confess! That I could not choose in a world created with free will, I could not choose to be here or not, I didn’t have a saying in if I wanted to live here or not. I see God’s mercy as Universal and limitless, I see God’s love as forever and bold, I see his Justice as a fearful trace of His character, after all His law demanded a sacrifice and if mankind cannot provide one I will die in their place, that ‘s a pretty fearful thing to think about. So I am born into this chaos and into a battle that I didn’t start and when I preach to my congregation I have to affirm them and comfort them about the outcome of the future but today for some reason the word “Moral” I made think about a God that seemed to be cornered also and had no other choice other than die for us. He was born into a World with a choice and lived with sinners by choice, and died at the right time by the foretold instrument (the cross) al of that by choice. I see myself so small before God when I look at the past and see that his morals are tied with his Justice no matter the cost.
ASSIGNMENT # 7
MESSY BUSINESS
The business of Salvation is a messy business, that’s all I can come up with after reading the chapter on Sin and the Human Condition on the Book: Ellen White and Salvation.
I stopped to meditate on this passage by Ellen White quoted in the book: WE are unable by ourselves to purse the right course . . . . It is only by the grace of
God combined with the most earnest effort on our part, that we can gain the victory.” Pg. 45
God sets the whole stage for the salvation of mankind and the price that mankind could not pay is paid but then there’s a catch- we have to have an” earnest effort combined with grace of God in order to be saved”. God places his bets on people that may ignore his efforts and his sacrifice, we still exercise our free will, we can choose not be saved.
So when I see the cross and the resurrection and all that it took to get all this done there’s still a risk on the part of God and we know that many will choose the other way. Salvation is a messy business, it produces a stench and odor that is unacceptable in the realm of God but it was necessary. When I think of predestination, I try to imagine where free will fits in that thought, and why God would take so many risks for a game that was already set since the beginning? Predestination seems to me, a hard sell when I think about God placing his bets in a fallen race that can deny him access to their hearts.
ASSIGNMENT # 6
ON THE BOOK ELLEN WHITE AND SALVATION
Chapter: Salvation and the great controversy theme
I was reading this chapter today and something just popped out of the pages and slapped me in the face. I was reading this: “it is the sophistry of Satan that the Death of Christ brought in grace to take place of the law . . . . God’s moral government and His grace are inseparable” (FW 30) pg. 36
This made me stop and think about God but on God’s perspective, by who He really is and What He did by sending His son to die for us at the cross. I look at God and see his mercy and Love by sacrificing his son for us and I at this time reading this chapter, the word “Moral” made me stop and wonder: His moral government is tied to this grace, so how difficult that is to govern a world that is full of sin? I mean I was born a sinner, I had no choice, I had no way out, I just was brought into a world that I didn’t fill with sin, I didn’t take part on the plot to overthrow the sovereignty of the Creator on this Planet and why should I suffer for all of these things if I didn’t have a choice? As choice is part of God’s kingdom and we call it “Free Will”, and although we are born with it we cannot exercise it at the time of birth, our parents just brought us into this World and carelessly made us be a part of a fallen race. That bothers me I confess! That I could not choose in a world created with free will, I could not choose to be here or not, I didn’t have a saying in if I wanted to live here or not. I see God’s mercy as Universal and limitless, I see God’s love as forever and bold, I see his Justice as a fearful trace of His character, after all His law demanded a sacrifice and if mankind cannot provide one I will die in their place, that ‘s a pretty fearful thing to think about. So I am born into this chaos and into a battle that I didn’t start and when I preach to my congregation I have to affirm them and comfort them about the outcome of the future but today for some reason the word “Moral” I made think about a God that seemed to be cornered also and had no other choice other than die for us. He was born into a World with a choice and lived with sinners by choice, and died at the right time by the foretold instrument (the cross) al of that by choice. I see myself so small before God when I look at the past and see that his morals are tied with his Justice no matter the cost.
ASSIGNMENT # 6
ON THE BOOK ELLEN WHITE AND SALVATION
Chapter: Salvation and the great controversy theme
I was reading this chapter today and something just popped out of the pages and slapped me in the face. I was reading this: “it is the sophistry of Satan that the Death of Christ brought in grace to take place of the law . . . . God’s moral government and His grace are inseparable” (FW 30) pg. 36
This made me stop and think about God but on God’s perspective, by who He really is and What He did by sending His son to die for us at the cross. I look at God and see his mercy and Love by sacrificing his son for us and I at this time reading this chapter, the word “Moral” made me stop and wonder: His moral government is tied to this grace, so how difficult that is to govern a world that is full of sin? I mean I was born a sinner, I had no choice, I had no way out, I just was brought into a world that I didn’t fill with sin, I didn’t take part on the plot to overthrow the sovereignty of the Creator on this Planet and why should I suffer for all of these things if I didn’t have a choice? As choice is part of God’s kingdom and we call it “Free Will”, and although we are born with it we cannot exercise it at the time of birth, our parents just brought us into this World and carelessly made us be a part of a fallen race. That bothers me I confess! That I could not choose in a world created with free will, I could not choose to be here or not, I didn’t have a saying in if I wanted to live here or not. I see God’s mercy as Universal and limitless, I see God’s love as forever and bold, I see his Justice as a fearful trace of His character, after all His law demanded a sacrifice. Jesus was born into a World with a choice and lived with sinners by choice, and died at the right time by the foretold instrument (the cross) all of that by choice. I see myself so small before God when I look at the past and see that his morals are tied with his Justice no matter the cost.
ASSIGNMENT # 7
MARCO QUARTEROLI
MESSY BUSINESS
The business of Salvation is a messy business, that’s all I can come up with after reading the chapter on Sin and the Human Condition on the Book: Ellen White and Salvation.
I stopped to meditate on this passage by Ellen White quoted in the book: WE are unable by ourselves to purse the right course . . . . It is only by the grace of
God combined with the most earnest effort on our part, that we can gain the victory.” Pg. 45
God sets the whole stage for the salvation of mankind and the price that mankind could not pay is paid but then there’s a catch- we have to have an” earnest effort combined with grace of God in order to be saved”. God places his bets on people that may ignore his efforts and his sacrifice, we still exercise our free will, we can choose not be saved.
So when I see the cross and the resurrection and all that it took to get all this done there’s still a risk on the part of God and we know that many will choose the other way. Salvation is a messy business, it produces a stench and odor that is unacceptable in the realm of God but it was necessary. When I think of predestination, I try to imagine where free will fits in that thought, and why God would take so many risks for a game that was already set since the beginning? Predestination seems to me, a hard sell when I think about God placing his bets in a fallen race that can deny him access to their hearts.
ASSIGNMENT # 6
MARCO QUARTEROLI
ON THE BOOK ELLEN WHITE AND SALVATION
Chapter: Salvation and the great controversy theme
I was reading this chapter today and something just popped out of the pages and slapped me in the face. I was reading this: “it is the sophistry of Satan that the Death of Christ brought in grace to take place of the law . . . . God’s moral government and His grace are inseparable” (FW 30) pg. 36
This made me stop and think about God but on God’s perspective, by who He really is and What He did by sending His son to die for us at the cross. I look at God and see his mercy and Love by sacrificing his son for us and I at this time reading this chapter, the word “Moral” made me stop and wonder: His moral government is tied to this grace, so how difficult that is to govern a world that is full of sin? I mean I was born a sinner, I had no choice, I had no way out, I just was brought into a world that I didn’t fill with sin, I didn’t take part on the plot to overthrow the sovereignty of the Creator on this Planet and why should I suffer for all of these things if I didn’t have a choice? As choice is part of God’s kingdom and we call it “Free Will”, and although we are born with it we cannot exercise it at the time of birth, our parents just brought us into this World and carelessly made us be a part of a fallen race. That bothers me I confess! That I could not choose in a world created with free will, I could not choose to be here or not, I didn’t have a saying in if I wanted to live here or not. I see God’s mercy as Universal and limitless, I see God’s love as forever and bold, I see his Justice as a fearful trace of His character, after all His law demanded a sacrifice. Jesus was born into a World with a choice and lived with sinners by choice, and died at the right time by the foretold instrument (the cross) all of that by choice. I see myself so small before God when I look at the past and see that his morals are tied with his Justice no matter the cost.
Michael Jones
Response to AJ #6
AJ I appreciated the way you ministered to your friend. It is not easy to see one so close travel the wide and broad road. It sounded like he was still willing to learn. How is he doing now? As Paul brings out in Rom. 6, there is a way that one will live when Christ is in the heart, death to self and alive to Christ. I wonder if his Adventist experience has been one of coercion (going through the motion because you have to) or of choosing Christ for himself based on responsive love. Either way, God is pursuing his heart with relentless fervor.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 3
An Unahsamed Gospel
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
In this nation with its history of racism (illicit and complicit), where culture baptized and Christian, and anything non-euro was written off and inherently evil, I find myself reading Romans. It is interesting that Paul, speaking to the people of Romans, considers himself set apart, or segregated unto the good news of God, concerning Christ the anointed messiah, the Son of God, according to the Spirit of holiness by Christ’s resurrection from the dead. This was done for Paul, in order to give him grace for the obedience among on the nations. Paul’s segregation came not as a result of his ethnic or cultural preference but as a result of Christ. He is Christ’s, not Jewish; Christ’s, not gentile. He has being given the Spirit of holiness, and the life of the resurrection, so that he may be obedient by faith, and bring this new life to all nations whosoever will receive it.
It is equally interesting that the gospel is the power of God to save unto Jew and gentile. Here Paul does 2 things: he mentions the divisions of the church, and yet he mentions both sides of his family line, in order to say that he is the mergence of Jew and gentile in Christ. He does not mention his human ancestry directly, but he is living proof of God’s power to save both Jew and gentile.
The fact that the gospel is the power of God to save both Jew and gentile means that there is nothing in either culture that does not need salvation. Both cultures, ethnic groups thought they were each right ethnically and culturally, and yet Paul says they both need salvation. So much for my theology that says that my cultural/ethnic preferences are more holy that another's, to utilize science to support a certain style of worship and holier than those who use their experience of suffering to validate their worship style a more holy. for colonial concepts that says my nation is more holy when compare to other nations. Paul says that all knew God’s wrath is against all ungodly everything of God has been revealed from heaven through nature. Paul indicts all, not just gentiles, for knowing who God is, and yet not acknowledge him as God. Paul indicts all as unthankful, vain and foolish,given over to uncleanness and lust, changing the truth of God to a lie, of having vile affections, of leaving and going against nature, of being reprobate.
Cont.
A quick review of history will reveal that all ethnic groups and nationalities have had these exact same problems. Therefore simply based off of Romans 1 Paul is immediately denouncing segregation based on national, racial, ethnic, and cultural bias, since all have partaken in sin. This is the immediate denouncement of the ideology that says there is any race, ethnic group nation, or culture, who has managed to not do the things of the other nations and human societal subgroups, and since the gospel is something Paul is not ashamed of, then to hold such views, even while being in the church, is for Paul a point of shame not just for the individual, the church as a whole. All are sinners, and all stand under the wrath of God. And if one sees fit to compare himself against other ethnic groups, chapter 2 opens with an indictment against those who would judge others horizontally (man vs. man), versus judge themselves vertically (God vs. man). Thus there is no race culture, ethnic group or nation that is holier than any other, not even the Jews. And since Paul is gentile-Jew (father-mother), and since the gospel is the power God to save Jew first and the gentile, Paul’s writing of this letter is his way of saying that the only way to have reconciliation of race, culture, ethnic group and nation is in the gospel. If this is the case, then when Paul says he is separated unto the gospel of God, he is being separated from unholy biases and segregations of racism, nationalism, ethnocentrism, and cultural-ism, reborn based on the resurrection of the dead unto the only unifying factor the world will ever see: Jesus Christ
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 4
Freely, Regardless of Division
Rom 3:19-24, 29-30 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
The passage says that all have sinned. “have sinned” is a past tense statement. So everyone’s past is marred with sin. There is none that has managed to not rebel against God
The passage says all have sinned “and come short of the glory of God”. “and come” is a present tense statement. So everyone’s present state is the state of coming short of the glory of God. So no one in and of themselves is currently measuring up to the glory that is God.
The passage says “being justified by his grace”. Being is a present tense state of being verb that shows something in progress that has not come to completion. So while everyone has sinned (past) “and come” (present), all are in the state of being present progressively justified freely by his grace.
Why does Paul do this? Simply because he wants Jew and gentile to understand that neither has ever come close to the glory of god, and that all are currently in the same salvation boat because of Jesus. Redemption was/is available to everyone regardless of their ethnic racial, general, national and cultural difference, and more importantly, all needed to be redeemed from them. How is this possible? Simply because there is only 1 God, who made only one humanity. Since we are only one humanity, then we will all commit the same basic sins, regardless of the divisions we place to show how unalike we are. Our sins join us to each other, and consequently God in Christ’s salvation joins us as well.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 5
“We” and Calvinism
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
It is interesting that Romans has made the Pauline case for the unity of all humanity up to this point, with no division in salvation. Divisions are the result of rebellion and the fall: division from God, division in marriage, division in tongue, ethnicity and race (culture and nation added). And so when we come to the wonderful assuring statement of our justification, Paul uses the all inclusive “we” to demonstrate that those who were justified by faith are all, regardless of human constructed divisions. He continues his use of the inclusive by informing that we were without strength, we were yet sinners, and we were yet enemies. Christ died for the ungodly, Christ died for us, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we are now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath, and we shall be saved by his life. Paul is not speaking in exclusion of anyone one group of people in these statements.
Paul’s usage of the inclusive is done to show the universality of salvation. It is for everyone. It was accomplished for everyone because everyone needed it.
If I were to allow for the modern understanding of Calvinism to stand, then theses passages would only apply to those God preordained to save. What does this belief do for the passage? Well all of the “we” and “us” statements would apply to the elect. This means that the elect were the ungodly sinning enemies of God facing wrath who needed to be saved. God had to extend or commend his love to them, because in their state the elect didn’t want him. If this is true (the common sense application of Calvinistic principles). Then that would by default mean those who God did not extend or commend his love toward were not in need of it, because they were not in need of salvation, as they were not ungodly, sinning enemies of God. They would in fact be holing, righteous friends of God, if not outright sons.
Cont The problem is this: if Romans 1-3 are indicative of the whole of humanity, then that means all of humanity is guilty of those things. If this is true, then the things that make the elect enemies of God are things that make the non elect God’s friends. They didn’t need salvation because they were doing what God wanted them to do. This means that there are two standards of holiness, one which the elect are told is evil, and the one the elect are saved to. This would be because God is either fickled or two-faced. He tells one group of people that holiness is this, and then tells another group of people that holiness is that, and sits back to watch the fallout. That is not indicative of a loving God, but more of governmental foreign policy that sells arms to both sides of a fight it started.
No, God wants all to be saved, and so he separates those who in faith accept his son from those who do not. Such separation is a separation from the world’s sociological ideology and world view that focuses and plays up human differences against each other. It is also a separation from those who are trying to earn their way (legalistic law-focused) into God’s good graces.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 6
Family debt
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
This is a passage that I have never heard put correctly. For those of us who love the law, and have been raised on law, we get a little agitated when people begin to quote some of the things Paul said about law. This one will be no different.
Paul is clear that sin entered the world, death by sin, and that we all inherited death since by one man all have sinned. He then continues on by saying that “until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed where there is no law”. This taken by itself would be confusing, but the next verse informs us that death reigned from Adam to Moses, over those who did not sin in the exact same way that Adam did. What does that mean?
Consider this: Adam was born with a perfect mind, in a perfect body, in a perfect garden, on a perfect planet, in a perfect universe, in a perfect relationship with a perfect God. With that being the case, Adam was perfectly capable of obeying a perfect command (don’t eat of the tree). The will of God was very clear. That was his one law. So for Adam to break with it was inexcusable. After that there is no record of a law proper being given to humanity until Moses, to whom was given the Torah. So from Adam to Moses death reigned over all, even over those who did not sin the way Adam did, in that they did not have a law proper to break. Where there is no law sin is not imputed, and yet death reigned over all even during a time of “technical” lawlessness. How is this possible?
“As by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned”
This is not saying that death reigned because all actually broke with a law that they knew, but that when Adam sinned, all his descendents sinned. The totality and infectiousness of sin not only passed on, but because Adam is the progenitor and willfully broke with a law he knew, his descendent who inherit his life inherit his debt. Thus those who lived between Adam and Moses who had no law proper were still subject to the death that Adam owed.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 7
Family Debt/Family Saved
Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Rom 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
There seems to be a great deal of question over the issue of universal salvation. I must admit I was honestly unaware of this argument until I arrived at seminary. However, contextually in Romans, I believe Paul very clearly explains is position and reasoning.
Given all of the “we”, “us” language as it relates to “sinners”, “ungodly”, and “without strength”, considering that Paul places all under sin regardless of ethno-cultural and racial-national affiliation, and considering that Paul considers everyone to be indebted to sin and under the rule of death because of Adam, the above quote passage should make clear sense to anyone who is simply reading. And so we begin.
Paul makes an equation:
“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”
by the offence one judgment came upon all to condemnation = justification unto men all upon came gift free the one of righteousness the by
I have written the verse out in the formulation above so that the reader can see the direct parallel/mirroring effect. The words “Therefore as” are simply introducing the equation. The words “even so” are the equal sign in the equation. The idea that condemnation brings death is assumed in this verse based on the previous verses, and so the end phrase “of life” may be left out of the equation as an assumption as well. The idea is that one person messed it up for everyone; even those who had not sinned like him were under the condemnation of death and sin because of him. So also one man fixed it for everyone; even those who have not lived or tried to live holy like him. The implication is that the one who fixed it was able to fix it for everyone because he came not to solve everyone issue, but Adam’s issue. If he resolves Adam’s issue then all coming from Adam have issues resolved.
Cont.
Here is the stinger: Where were you when Adam sinned? You were in the loins of Adam. Did you ask him to sin? Did you know that he sinned? Do you appreciate that he sinned? The answer to these and all questions like them is an emphatic “No”! Notice that the issue of condemnation comes “upon” all men. It does not say unto all men? Unto is within, while upon is without. So even those who did not sin within themselves after the willful similitude of Adam (within) are still under (upon) the same condemnation and penalty as if they had. The reverse is also obvious and true. Where were you when Jesus died? On his mind and in his heart. Did you want him to come? Did you want him to die? Did you even appreciate his death? To these and all questions like then we give a resounding “No”! and yet the free gift is said to come upon all to justification. Why is this…because Jesus solved the Adam issue, and so all coming from Adam have their issue resolved. Therefore all are under Christ as it relates to Adam’s death sentence being handed down. The problem is that they are unaware of it.
Simultaneously, even though I am under justification so that I don’t pay Adam’s debt, I am still indebted because of my own willful, deliberate, obstinate sins. Therefore I must accept Jesus not only as the savior of my family for the family debt, but also as my personal savior for my personal debt.
Therefore all of humanity is under Christ. Christ is the source of life humanly. His life is given to all, and therefore even those before the cross cold operate under the Holy Spirit’s influence. Because Christ’s life was credited to those before the cross the Holy Spirit was free to convict of sin and to convert to righteousness before his official outpouring. It is because of this that that we find the Holy Spirit leading people who are not part of Covenant Israel (Melchizedek, Jethro, Balaam, Pharaoh Necho, Nebuchadnezzar, etc.)
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 8
Death and Resurrection
Rom 6:2, 4-6, 7, 9-12 “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection…that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
Please consider the death and resurrection of Christian. It is all dependent upon Christ. The Bible is clear that we are dead, and that “we” is all those who have by faith accepted the payment of Christ for the debt of the human race in Adam, as well as the payment for their individual sin debt. So how can those who have by faith accepted forgiveness of debt continue to live incurring debt?
Part of the incurring of debt is the willful sinning against what has been revealed and the will of god in Christ. The other part of incurring debt is the attempting to make the payment yourself, attempt to earn what God has given freely. It is as if you say that what you can do is equal to the sacrifice of Jesus, and is therefore and insult to God and his gift. Yea…that will incur some debt!
Therefore in order have our debt paid, we by faith died with Christ. That’s good, but it does not prevent me from incurring more sin debt. So what does Paul say happened to us after we by faith died? The same thing that happened to Jesus: we resurrected by faith.
What does that mean? It means that the likeness that Christ is resurrected and ascended is the likeness that we are raised to by faith when we come out of the water. He has been freed from sin; we have been freed from sin. Death (and sin) have no more dominion over him; death (and sin) have more dominion of us. He died once; when we accept Christ we died once. Every day we recommit ourselves to that death and resurrection. He lives for God; we live for God.
Therefore because sin no longer has dominion over us, we have the ability to choose to yield to God, to not let sin have control. We have power because of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 9
Servants, Wages, and the Gift
Rom 6:16, 18-20, 22-23 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Please notice the last verse. There is a comparison is between wages and the gift. The passage is comparing being a slave of sin or a slave of God. So in the end the passage is a comparison of masters: sin and God. Verse 16 starts out using the word “yielded”. This is a connecting word pointing back a few verses where Paul encourages the Romans to yield themselves to God, thus inferring that because of the death and resurrection of Jesus we now have the ability to choose masters. So then verse 16 informs us that whomever we obey we are his slave. This is true, even after death and resurrection. We are free, and yet we yield to sin and choose to enslave ourselves to someone who has no rights to us.
Paul goes on to inform the reader that sin always led to death, now and in our past. So when we yield to sin we are yielding to something that will shame and kill us. We are now to yield to God instead of sin, since we have accepted God has our new master because of his payment of Christ to sin.
The interesting thing in this passage is that there is no true thing called autonomy. One is either a slave to sin, and free from righteousness, or a slave to God and free from sin. There is no autonomy. One is free to choose whom one will serve, but that is it. After that there is the life of yielding to one’s master. Western thought has missed this pivotal point: that we are not completely free. We are free to serve whom we choose, but we were made to serve: either God or sin it makes no difference, we will be serving someone.
The thing at the end that should be our deciding factor according to the chapter is the benefits. Working for sin I get wages; working for God I get a gift. Sin’s wages, after a whole life of service, is death. It is what I earned, and it gives it freely and without gripe. Therefore everything that I get in this life working for sin, money, women/men, prestige, fame, power, pleasure, etc., are not the wages. Those are my tools sin gives me to earn my wages. Once I have completely lived my life the way sin wants it, sin pays me for a job well done, and my payment of all my years of service and submission is death.
Consequently, when considering legalism, which is the idea that I can earn my way into the favor of God and salvation, or that I can through effort, concentration, determination, and will power maintain the salvation started by God, the wages of that work as well is death.
This is contrasted with service to God. Working for God I get eternal life. I accept it by faith in Jesus death and resurrection. So no only am I guaranteed holiness, but a life without end, in a world without end. Working for God is a work of faith, not a work of legalism. It was work of faith in what Christ has done on the cross, and work of faith in where Christ is doing currently. Eternal life comes through Jesus Christ, so that when I have Christ, no matter what evil life through at me, I know I live forever. All that the sinner seeks down here in his service of sin I get by default and more because I have Jesus
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 10
The Law’s function
Rom 7:6-10, 12-14 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
I have always loved this passage. Coming from a very conservative family who preach law all through my childhood, I find it strange that I have never heard an SDA minister preach from this passage. I suggest that this is because of the over-emphasis on law in our denomination. We are so afraid of someone doing away with the Sabbath that we fail to recognize that the law does not save. Oh sure we will pay lip service to the idea of grace, but we lack the ability to embrace the totality of the grace without somehow throwing law in the conversation.
However in my mind this passage forever silences those who desire to preach law as means to please or appease God. The Bible says that there is nothing wrong with law, but the wrong is in me, that every time someone tells me to not do it there is a desire in my to do the thing forbidden. No matter how perfect the law is, according to Paul is to show sin, “that is might appear sin…that sin through the commandment might become (or be seen) exceedingly sinful”.
Paul is clear that the commandment was ordained to bring life. Fair enough. Everything that God says is designed to give me life, whether admonition of prohibition. However, because I am a son of Adam, I naturally want death. This is because the master of humanity is sin, were it not for Jesus. Sin is all we know, and what we naturally crave. So without the intervention of the Holy Spirit, God can tell me all the prohibitions that will protect my life, but the moment the commandment comes sin will revive in me and I will become condemned and deserving of death, because sin will cause me to want to disobey.
Therefore because of sin, the law’s only function can be to demonstrate how completely evil and wrong sin is, and therefore I am. The law cannot save me, in that it is only an instruction on what should be done and what should not be done. It lacks the ability to give me the desire obey it. It cannot change my heart. It cannot make me love God. It can only show me that I don’t love God, and that I need a savior.
Cont.
Remember as well that the brain has 10 billion interconnected nerves with innumerable extensions. So not only is it instinctual for me to do certain things without thinking when presented with certain situations and temptations, but there are also billions of innumerable ways to get from thought to action. The demons know this. But notice with me one small fact again. The temptations are coming from outside of you. They are an invasion force. They are playing on weak areas within in us, yes, but it is because most of us have not been taught how to strengthen the weak areas. All we know is that we are what we feel and think.
So Paul is actually not simply describing the struggle of any other Christian, but of all Christians, including himself. The struggle is what we know to be right versus that fact that we are wired to be wrong. On the issue of race it says that theologically we love the idea of being one with each other in Christ, but practically we hold grudges, our face will snarl, we think thoughts, we grip our purses tighter, we live on the other side of town, we will attend a different church, we will theologically justify our ethnic cultural worship as the most God glorifying, we will forbid or encourage or children to not marry someone of another “race”, etc.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 12
No condemnation
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
With chapter 1-7 as the background for this verse, this verse has been used to simply say that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This is an incomplete statement, which only accounts for a majority of the verse. We have read Romans through the lens of racial reconciliation, and in the last bog we discovered that while we loved the idea of unity, we are wired for division, and tend to operate based on our wiring most of the time.
Earlier in Chapter 7 we were told that the function of the law was to point out sin, and so by the end of chapter 7 we stand condemned of a life in which our theology does not match our “footology”. In chapter 6 we were told that sin was not to have dominion over us, and this is the idea that Paul pick up in chapter 8.
The liberty of “…no condemnation…” is “…for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk (live) not after the flesh, but after the Spirit…” The issue is not has one accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary, but rather have they accepted his resurrection life according to Chapter 6, which sent back the Holy Spirit in chapter 8. Therefore the resurrected life in 6 is the walking after the Spirit in 8.
There is no condemnation for those who by faith walk after the Spirit, or submit to the Spirit. This is by faith because it cannot be by will or work. I believe that Jesus died and rose again by faith. I believe that he ascended to the right hand of God by faith. I believe that I died in him by faith. I believe that I rose with him by faith. I believe that I ascended to the right handoff God in him by faith. Therefore by faith I accept the Holy Spirit to lead me in living out a resurrected and ascended life while on earth. I am under the dominion of the Holy Spirit.
The grace of “no condemnation” is not for those who walk “after the flesh”. My flesh is wired for sin, my thought processes are wired for sin, my body is wired to respond and crave sin. Yet I am not to live my life according to my wiring. I am to live my life according to the leading of the Holy Spirit as revealed in the word of God, which will agree with God’s revealed will in his law. If I live according to the flesh, the law stands there to point out my sin, however if I live according to the Spirit, the law stands there to point out Christ righteousness in me.
Racially, this means that I learn of and from other cultures, embracing all who come in my path as equal children of God and deserving of my respect and presence. It means that whatever of American (or other) culture does that informs and supports my fleshly biases I reject as not being in Christ, and I follow the Spirit in the movement of reconciliation. I do not allow the literal, mental, Spiritual, cultural, etc., walls of separation and segregation to be erected in my presence, since Christ has torn that wall down.
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 13
The World Awaits
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Every kingdom since the dawn of time has sought to build something that lasts forever. Every people group has thought themselves superior to all others. Therefore superiority is part of the fleshly sin problem.
Every people group in ancient times claimed to come from the gods, many of who had heroes in their culture who were claimed to be literal sons of god. The problem is that these sons of gods were sons of gods for that people group and culture. If I wanted to be under the protection of that son of god, I would have to become part of that people group. In addition, all theses so called sons of gods did not behave any more nobly than normal humans. Having divinity has parents did nothing for their passions. This is because the gods themselves had passions and were biased and arbitrary as their human worshippers. Case in point: the Trojan War. That war was started because some of the Olympian gods didn’t like Troy, while others didn’t like Greeks. The Olympian gods were racist, and manifested their racism in the subjugation and genocide of entire people groups. This is not the same as God in the Old Testament, who we see many time calling for the complete eradication of a people based not on ethnicity but on immorality. The people in the Old testament that were eradicated were people who were not only unholy, but were downright wicked in every thought and action. The gods of Olympus would for childish reasons.
And so the passage under consideration says that all creation (the creature) awaits the manifestation of the sons of God. Given the history of what it meant to be a son of god, the title meant a few things: you and your parent were both powerful, passionate, arbitrary, biased, egotistical, selfish, demanding, sensual, etc. What the Greco-Roman world, and the entire world, is waiting for are sons of a god who is gracious, self-controlled, loving, unbiased, accepting of all, giving, humble, patient, etc., and still passionately powerful. To be a son of God is to be unbiased, reconciling, above cultural and racial disparagement. This is because your Father is above it. His sacrifice of Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus to the right hand of God, with the gift of the Holy Spirit was for the entire world. Therefore his children must have the same mind. The world is looking, not just for their theology to be high and holy , but their “footology” to be as high and holy as their theology about their Father God.
Chester Clark III
Response to Matthew Feeley (Assignment 5)
I appreciated your thoughts on Romans 5. It seems that each chapter of Romans have come alive in a new way after studying and discussing this semester. The article by Larry Kane dealing largely with Romans 5 also helped me to understand the context in which justification by faith is consistently being discussed.
Chester Clark III
Response to Brian (Assignment 7)
I was interested in your evaluation of Whidden’s treatment of the atonement. I appreciate your interest in a holistic approach and stepping back to take a wide-angle view. I have to say, however, that I had a distinctly different impression after reading this chapter than you did. I came a way feeling that Whidden saw EGW’s (and Adventists’) view of the atonement as more comprehensive than any one model, and being comprised of elements of several – though primarily the penal/substitutionary model. Your comment made me want to go back and read the chapter again to see if I only imposed a more holistic reading on what Whidden wrote.
Chester Clark III
Response to Reed Richardi (Assignment 9)
I appreciated your candid admission regarding Romans 9, that if it were the only chapter of the Bible you would probably believe in Calvinistic predestination. I have thought the same thing! I am so thankful that God did give us the entire Bible – and thus the ability to compare scripture with scripture. I too think that I need a lot more study on this chapter, and it is one of lingering questions that I list on our final class assignment.
Chester Clark III
Response to Dario Ferreira (Assignment 16)
I have to say that I appreciate your consistency in getting the assignments done weekly. That you were doing Assignment 16 at the first of December says you were keeping on top of them better than most of the class. Good job!
I also appreciated the balance of EGW as demonstrated in our reading this semester. Separation between justification and sanctification is not possible (in experience) because she seems to view sanctification as simply staying in a justified experience. “As you have received Christ Jesus, so walk in Him.” Colossians 2:6. It’s all by grace through faith.
Chester Clark III
Response to Jason O’Rourke (Assignment 13)
I really enjoyed your cultural illumination of Romans 8:19. It really made the mindset of God’s children stand out in bold relief when compared to the mindset of the world. That in giving up the desire for an eternal legacy we might be enabled by God to be part of an eternal kingdom is a miracle of divine grace.
Chester Clark III
Response to Alexander Rybachek (Assignment 10)
I found your discussion of Romans 10 fascinating, especially because in scanning through the blog my eyes fell on the last sentence: “Our righteousness was obtained by Christ on the Cross of Calvary, but our own righteousness brought Him there.” I was a bit puzzled, so read the rest of the blog more thoroughly. Thank you for putting our “righteousness” in perspective.
Chester Clark III
Response to Michael Jones (Assignment 6)
I appreciated your comments on Romans 6. I think that we as Adventists can do a better job of teaching the glorious parallel between the resurrection of Jesus and rising from the waters of baptism. I think sometimes we tend to focus more on the dying part of the symbolism. Of course this is important, for without it the Christian will never live a victorious life. But equally important is the rising to walk in newness of life! That we can enjoy here and now the same miraculous, powerful, fiat power of God through the same spirit that raised Him from the dead should give us a lot to talk about! Perhaps if we did tell more of His power, we would preempt the devil’s delusion that somehow the commemoration of Christ’s resurrection (Sunday) gives us license to live in disobedience to His law (Sabbath), which is completely out of harmony with what Paul so clearly teaches in Romans 6.
ASSIGNMENT # 9
MARCO QUARTEROLI
ON FORGIVENESS AND ATONEMENT
“Justification is not the work of a moment and that it is always past, justification is always present and operating in our lives. One moment is not sufficient to save us? Yes it is if it is imparted to me everyday. Christ is our substitute not the cross; he was our substitute in the manger, in the Gethsemane, in the heavenly sanctuary. When Adam sinned he deserved to be killed right away but Jesus was already the substitute and step between God and Adam and provided the time for God to come and ask: “Adam, where are you?”
In Paul’s way of thinking there’s no separation between acquittal and the new birth “
The paragraph above is a quote from my Class Notes, and I am still chewing this up – Thanks Dr. Hannah, after a whole semester I m still totally in awe of some of the arguments presented during the Course on Salvation, this is one of them. Justification is always present- I always had in mind it was a past event, something that happened when I accepted Jesus as my Savior and then moved on to Sanctification and that this was another process, new and standing on its own. Now I see Justification is something daily and necessary, I am being justified in every second becauese as a sinner I need that justification even to exist as a child of God. I could not survive one second without His grace and Justification is the most amazing representation of that grace.
Chester Clark III
Response to Ryan Kilgore (Assignment 13)
I really appreciated the candidness with which you wrote about your struggle in understanding the issue of perfection. I could empathize with you as I read it – not just because of the theoretical conundrum but because of my realistic experience. On one hand it seems unfair for God to ask us to believe something is possible that will be impossible, and on the other hand it seems apparent that we will never come to the point where we see ourselves as perfect, arrived. The big picture I seem to get is that the person who is living in the Spirit is striving for the highest ideal – not just overcoming moral wrongs – and feels acutely how far he falls short (EGW refers to us as often having remorse for our mistakes and shortcomings). Could it be that these mistakes are not necessarily “sins,” though we might see them as just as regretful? In this sense we might be actually overcoming moral faults while still being convicted and sensing our need for Christ’s righteousness to cover our ever-present deficiencies. I don’t know – just something that I’ve been thinking about.
Comment on Romans 6
In Romans chapter 6 Paul uses two illustrations to demonstrate his point concerning the relationship between the sinner and the law. According to John C. Brunt this chapter is primarily concerned with answering the question of sin and grace. In his commentary on Romans he suggests that there are two main illustrations that Paul uses to convey this point. The first is an illustration about baptism and the second is an illustration about slavery. In both illustrations Paul’s purpose is the same to demonstrate the relationship between the believer in Christ and his law. In his first example Paul argues that since we are baptized in Christ and we have died in Him then the consequence which must naturally follow is the death to our carnal self, simply put a death to sin. It is Paul’s belief that the death of Christ brought victory over sin and thus when we share in his death we to share in his victory. However, Paul’s picture of victory is unlike those of his present day, rather than Jesus being a conquering warrior that brings about peace and justice through the edge of His sword, Jesus is represented as a suffering servant who willing gives up his life for others and as such his victory is one of weakness rather than might. This is of great significance for the Christian today sense our baptism into the death of Christ likewise symbolizes our human weakness and thus willingly submits to death in Christ in order that we too might be victorious through our weakness rather than might. In his second illustration Paul reminds his audience of the true nature of slavery and that one who is a slave is under the control and authority of his master. As such the slave must of necessity give up his life in submission to his master’s will and purpose. From this perspective, Paul is able to imagine the Christian as a slave to Christ, yet Paul’s picture of a slave is quite different than those of his day, from Paul’s perspective slavery is a thing to be greatly desired, for in being a slave to Christ one receives the free gift of Christ. Rather than working hard for little to no pay, the Christian slave receives his reward in eternal riches. Unlike the slavery of Paul’s world, slaves of Christ inherit the Kingdom of their master and are as such royal subjects of the King. Therefore to be a slave of Christ is to be free from tyrannical slave owners and to be granted the status of royalty in His Kingdom.
Comment on Romans 7
According to Paul sin creates a very complex situation, similar to the relationship status that many people select on their personal web page one might even say, “Its Complicated.” According to John C. Brunt Paul uses three illustrations in this chapter to make his point: Marriage, The Tenth Commandment and the Human Dilemma. The Marriage illustration is perhaps the most complicated of the three sense it requires more so than the others the greatest amount of imagination. In the first illustration Paul attempt to demonstrate the relationship between a woman and her recently deceased husband. Here Paul argues that when the husband has deceased the wife is legally free to remarry. And as such her marriage to her new husband is legal and just but it is also a new marriage. In her previous marriage she was bound to her husband by the law regardless of the his care and concern for her, but now she is bound to her new husband by her heart, although she receives a legal certificate validating the legitimacy of her marriage, she is no longer bound to her husband by law but love. In the second illustration Paul simply points to something we are all familiar with, the problem with not trying to focus on something that you have decided not to focus on. Accordingly, the psychological law of cognitive thinking suggests that if one attempts to not think about something their mind naturally begins to think about that which it is attempting not to think about. According to Paul this was the problem with the law, in attempting to not break the law, one not only inevitably broke the law but even more so because their attempt to not focus on the law caused them to focus on the law all the more, thereby leading to their transgression of the law. Paul’s third illustration needs very little expression for we are all too familiar with what Paul refers to as the Human Dilemma. For Paul this is the problem of not wanting to do something and yet still doing it and wanting to do something and not being able to do it. For Paul this is the great problem of life that we all attempt to do things that because of the human nature we are unable to do and we all attempt to keep from doing things that because of our human nature we still find ourselves doing them. Paul’s point here is fairly simple the real problem that human beings face is the sin problem. Due to man’s sinful nature Paul suggests that man is caught in a bit of a quandary, but Paul does not only identify the problems of the human life he also points to the solution. Paul’s solution to the sin problem is a relationship with Jesus Christ. For Paul this is the solution because the spirit-empowered life can obtain victory over the sinful desires of the human heart and thus bring about a new reality where the sinful nature of the human being is swallowed up in the sinless life of Christ.
Comment on Romans 8
In Romans chapter 8 Paul contrasts life in the Spirit with life in the Flesh. For Paul, it is very clear that life in the spirit is to be preferred over life in the flesh. From Paul’s perspective life in the Spirit leads to life where as life in the Flesh leads to death. Therefore Paul concludes we ought to live in the Spirit. This appears to be more than a mere theological reflection for Paul, but rather it seems to have very real implications for the life of a believer in the hear and now. According to Paul, the believer is engaged in a spiritual battle for the believer’s life and as such one’s decision or lack thereof to live life in the spirit, by reason of consequence leads to an overwhelming defeat. To live in the flesh while fighting a spiritual battle is to fight a loosing battle. For Paul the consequences of living life outside of the spirit are to severe, to live outside of the Spirit is also to live without God. For Paul this is the ultimate loss not simply that one looses the battle waged against one’s self but that one looses one’s relationship with God. For Paul, this is the real tragedy that life outside of the spirit produces a Godless life. Yet Paul is equally clear that life in the spirit produces just the opposite, in fact in so far as Paul is concerned the spiritual life produces a new ancestry whereby one is adopted into the family of God as fellow brethren of Christ and Sons and Daughters of God. From Paul’s perspective, there is nothing in this world worth missing out on what God has prepared for His children. In other words, as far is Paul is concerned there is absolutely no comparison. In making this clear Paul hopes to convey to his audience the marvelous things God has in store for those who die to the things of this world in order that they might obtain the things of the world to come. For Paul a spiritless life is death, not of the body but of the spirit. So to fail to choose Christ is not simply a rejection of life but in actuality it is almost a spiritual suicide, which like bodily suicide must be considered reckless and irresponsible. However, to accept Christ and thus accept death of the flesh, actually participates in another kind of suicide (spirit-assisted suicide) but in this case it is the death of the fleshly man, thus it is justified and righteous. In fact one might even call it a “Righteous Kill.”
Assignment # 3 Repost
DOS
What are we hoping for?
If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” the assurance of love is the the love existing between believers is to be similar to the love existing between the Father and the Son. And this love in the soul is the evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, are the conditions of salvation. In James' day there were men arising who were doing just as many are doing in our day,--preaching that faith in Christ releases men from obedience to the law of God. James declares that "faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God." It is by the constant exercise of faith and love that believers are made to shine as lights in the world. Salvation is something that every human being stands in need of even more than basic needs. One of the authors made it clear that since the time of Adams fall, man has been standing in need of salvation and deliverance from sin. Christ came to fulfill the promise of God to Adam and Eve about the plan of salvation. Our fore parent had love, faith and hope in God to save them from sin. These three dimensions hope, love and faith must be a part of our life.
Assignment # 2 REPOST
3Ds of Assurance (Hope, Faith, Love)
How do they three dimensions of assurance relate to salvation? What are they three dimensions of assurance? I always have issue in regard to assurance in Christ for salvation. We talked about the three dimensions of assurance in the class this week. The three dimensions of assurance are also the three elements of salvation. The three dimensions of assurance are: Hope, Faith and Love. Mrs. White said “Were we to ground our hope upon joyful emotions, there are many of God's true people who would be without assurance. Jesus cares for the weak and feeble in their simplicity, and would quicken their life by his own heart beats.” The word of God is loaded in precious thing that will not be corrupted ever. “We are saved by hope in Christ Jesus: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for?
Assignment 4 Repost
DOS
Are we saved by the Gospel preach only by Human being?
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith." Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
I understand the Gospel is the power of God for salvation through faith, but what about those who did not have the opportunity to hear the gospel? Will they be saved in the kingdom of God? On what God will base His imputation??
You don’t have to be perfect to be counted righteous. God can reveal himself to any one whom He chooses too. God does not need a person to preach the gospel to someone another to be saved. Abraham did not have a human being preached the gospel to him another to have faith in the Mighty God of heaven. Salvation is the work of the heavenly architecture. God knows His people, He can and will communication to the whole human race the plan of salvation. “God has a purpose for each one.”God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." These words show us what we may become by striving to fulfill God's purpose. {ST, May 14, 1902 par. 4}”
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." I begin to understand that there is a need for me to change the way I think about salvation by grace. There is nothing we can do that will help us to make to the kingdom of heaven but what we do can prevent us make it to the kingdom of God. Every good thing we do is the work of the Holy Spirit in us though our obedience in Christ Jesus. We are justified by faith like Abraham was justified by faith.
Assignment #5
DOS
Are we saved by the Gospel preached only by Human beings?
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith." Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
I understand the Gospel is the power of God for salvation through faith, but what about those who did not have the opportunity to hear the gospel? Will they be saved in the kingdom of God? On what God will base this impartation? How much does my faith contribute to the perfect Salvation?
Assignment #6 Repost
You don’t have to be perfect to be counted righteous. God can reveal himself to any one whom He chooses too. God does not need a person to preach the gospel to someone another to be saved. Abraham did not have a human being preached the gospel to him another to have faith in the Mighty God of heaven. Salvation is the work of the heavenly architecture. God knows His people, He can and will communication to the whole human race the plan of salvation. “God has a purpose for each one.”God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." These words show us what we may become by striving to fulfill God's purpose. {ST, May 14, 1902 par. 4}”
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." I begin to understand that there is a need for me to change the way I think about salvation by grace. There is nothing we can do that will help us to make to the kingdom of heaven but what we do can prevent us make it to the kingdom of God. Every good thing we do is the work of the Holy Spirit in us though our obedience in Christ Jesus. We are justified by faith like Abraham was justified by faith.
Assignment #7 Repost
DOS
“Sanctification is the progressive work of a lifetime. The Lord declares, "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." Is it your will that your desires and inclinations shall be brought into conformity to the divine will? As Christians, we have pledged ourselves to realize and fulfill our responsibilities, and to show to the world that we have a close connection with God. Thus, through the godly words and works of His disciples, Christ is to be represented.” We can see clearly in Mrs. White writings that she gave a full endorsement to Jesus in her writings and in ways that confirmed her to be a qualified prophet. Dr. Hanna mentions in chapter “For Ellen White, the Christ-centered connections of divine and human persons involve three overlapping themes of Scripture….” What impresses me is the involvement of Christ with human on this earth to restore our image.
Assignment #8 Repost
DOS
“Christ had not exchanged His divinity for humanity; but he had clothed His divinity in humanity (Sanctification).” “He veiled His divinity with the garb of humanity, but he did not part with his divinity.” “This is why, although he was tempted in all points like as we are, He stood before the world, from his first entrance into it, untainted by corruption, though surrounded by it.” One of the reasons I think Christ did not sin is because He was connected with His father while He was on earth. Christ came to the sinful world to show us; we can live in a sinful world without committing sin. If we are truly connected with God through Him; we can say that we are on the right track for sanctification. Now I have a new view about sanctification, I used to think that there is level I need to reach before Christ return. Since justification and sanctification overlapping each other; we can say that the final product is glorification which we will receive when Christ return. “The light given me of God places this important subject above any question in my mind. Justification is wholly of grace and not procured by any works that fallen man can do.”
Assignment #9 Repost
“Wonderful possibilities are provided for everyone who has faith in Christ. No walls are built to keep any living soul from salvation. The predestination, or election, of which God speaks, includes all who will accept Christ as a personal Savior, who will return to their loyalty, to perfect obedience to all God's commandments. This is the effectual salvation of a peculiar people, chosen by God from among men. All who are willing to be saved by Christ are the elect of God. It is the obedient who are predestinated from the foundation of the world. "To as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to as many as believed on him." {GH, June 11, 1902 par. 3}
Since God is Omniscience, omnipotent and omnipresent does that mean predestination remove the freedom of choice? As I read for the class assignment I made fantastic discovering about freedom of choice. WHY are we not successful in living up to God's standard? WHY do we slip and fall occasionally? Here is how you can overcome? “Each human being is given the freedom of choice. It is his or her to decide whether he/she will stand under the black banner of rebellion, or under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. With deep solicitude heaven watches the conflict between good and evil. None but the obedient can enter the gates of the city of God. Upon those who choose to continue in transgression, the death sentence must at last be pronounced. The earth will be purified from their misdoings, their defiance of God. {RH, March 15, 1906 par. 14}”
Assignment 10 Repost
DOS
Romans 8:28-30 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
Foreknowledge – Predestination – Call – Justification – Sanctification – Glorification
These things are serious. In other to be an overcomer in this world we must believe that Jesus is the Redeemer of the world. Also we must believe that we cannot overcome the world in our own power. "To him that OVERCOMES," says Jesus, "will I grant to sit with me in my throne." "He that OVERCOMES, and keeps my works unto the end, TO HIM will I give power over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron." (Revelation 2:26-27; 3:21.) When Christ return He will glorify those who overcome the world by granting them a sit in heaven.
ASSIGNMENT # 10
MARCO QUARTEROLI
PREDESTINATION
Predestination doesn’t mean that it will happen - God predestined the plan but not the outcome?
John 3:16
God sent his son- he planned that before the foundation of the World, he planned his birth, his ministry and his death. Did Jesus run the risk of falling? Did he run the risk of failing? If that is true than God predestined the plan but not the outcome. If everything that was prophesized about Jesus was predestined: the way he died, his ministry and his death and resurrection, then everything is set and free-will is gone out the window. These issues are chewing on me.
If God knows everything before hand so everything is set up and he cannot change the future? Or because he set up the future he simply chooses not to intervene in it? And if he intervenes so history for him is fluid and never fixed and then He didn’t set it up but goes along making changes when necessary. These are questions that will remain after this course and the years to come as the questions come easier than the answers on these issues.
Chester Clark III
Response to Jasmine (Assignment 3)
I enjoyed your post about the three “motive powers” of the soul – faith, hope, and love. Especially this is of interest to me in the context in which you’ve placed it, that of assurance. There are some who preach assurance as if it is a commodity to be “had,” and lead listeners to believe that if they don’t know for sure that they will be saved that they don’t have assurance. It’s almost as if they are to have (based on…. answers may vary) a concrete foreknowledge which places them in the kingdom with no ands, ifs, or buts.
The problem with this version of assurance is that it removes both faith and hope from the equation. If something is already a reality, I need to neither hope for it nor believe in it by faith. The assurance of the Bible is a complete faith in Jesus to do the impossible and continue the good work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6). There are unknowns – my own future choices – but I hope that the power of the third motive power, love, will keep me safely in the Father’s hand. This is something that I’d love to develop and study more, and I enjoyed your touching on it in your post.
Alexander Rybachek
Response to Joel Bohannon assignment 6
I see the universal picture of the salvation for everyone through Jesus only. I see where you go and I agree with you. At the beginning I was a little puzzled on the phrase: “Before Christ appeared righteousness was only given to the Jewish nation.” But later you explained that it was the misunderstanding of what Paul was saying. God really intended to save everybody, but He chose different people at different times as His tools of salvation.
Thanks for reflection, Alexander
Comment on Jasmine’s Assignment #9
Great quotation from E.G. White. Thank you Jasmine for bringing out once again that we are the once who decide where to stand, and not somebody has predestined it for us before we were born. Amazing – every moment we do make the decision where to stand. Every moment is a history that goes to records. I lose this perspective so easily and thanks for reminding about Great Controversy in our daily choices. Alexander
Comment on Michael Mickens on Romans 8...
Thank you Michael for reflection. It was great. Special thanks for “Righteous Kill.” I enjoyed that one. I agree we need to think more about the idea of killing of old man, of self that pools us back to previous habits and desires. I liked you approached the idea of spiritless life. “For Paul a spiritless life is death, not of the body but of the spirit.”We see many bodies around that just brief and do not really live real life. Only in Christ we really live. Thanks for reflection
On Brian’s assignment 13
I appreciate your comment on the end of the book of Romans. Indeed our victory is not complete while the deceiver is able to do his work. Many will be deceived and our own salvation depends on our awareness that he is still around. But Paul proclaims the victory like it is present and this gives us hope that we are almost home. Thanks especially for: “We will not reach salvation if we are sadden and discouraged by the struggles with deceptions from Satan. God wants us to focus on Him victorious. I believe that is why Paul also puts the image of crushing Satan under your feet.” Thanks for reflection.
nancy thomas response to Elias Misungwi second week reflection Romans chapt 2: Elias I can really appreciate your thought on this passage. I agree with you whole heartedly when you make the statement whenever we find ourselves angry about somone's sin we should be careful. we need to speak out again sin but we must do it in the spirit of humility.
I would like to go a little further on this matter and say that before we apprach someone we need to make sure that we look at ourselves first and that what we say is out of love not to be a stumbling block to someone. Also your other thought we should not judge. I agree we should not judge but when we see our brother/sister doing the wrong thing we should try to help them and tell them this may help to keep them from stumblling, or it may just keep them from making a mistake that could have eternal implications. The bible say's that when we see our brother/sister doing wrong and not tell them their blood would be on our hands.
nancy thoams response to Joel Bohannon assignment #3 romans chapt 1
I really can appreciate your thoughts on this chapter I understand what you say when you make the comment Due to the blantant denial of the divinity of God God has given mankind up to have a reprobate mind. Further to contiue you say that Paul labels the attributes of humankind as depraved and debased mind. I believe that is why there is so much evil in the world today. I am beginning to agree that the Spirit of God is leaving this place and people are free to do whatever they seem right. It is much like the days of Noah when people just stopped living for God they out right denied his authority and divinity, so he left them to do what ever they wanted. However the end it was a very costly. I believe that history is surely repeating itself, and that is why we have to keep our attention on the prize which is Jesus, and always recognize the majestic authority of God our father who is in control of all things.
Response to Landon Assginment #7
I liked the view on the atonement there needs to be a biblical view taken from each approach and deepen the both/and approach. I was intrigued by your second part. The idea of the whole body of Christ being more involved might as well run out the leaders of the church. I think more of an involvement of the church body is the Spirit’s guidance over all aspects of the church. The leaders were set up by God. They make the rules or teachings Lord willing by the acts and guidance of the Spirit. The biblical example is the event in Acts. James sends out a decree to the new converts, “that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell." Act
15:29 We need the Spirit lead leaders.
Response to Doctrine of Salvation
Assignment #8
This was a great blog on the connection that God has with His creation. I enjoyed the personal touch of the experiences you have had dealing with these texts in Romans 8. I also enjoyed the comments on the Whidden book and BRI document.
Assignment #8 response was to Dario Ferreira
Response to Dario Ferreira
Doctrine of Salvation
Assignment #9
I enjoyed the blog assignment #8 I decided to read the next blog by you as well. I enjoyed this blog too. Paul did have some heart felt concerns for his brethren. It is also a mystery how so learned men as the Pharisees could not see truth of the Messiah in fron of them. There was one thing I not too sure about in this blog. The Lord lead us to live for Him. It might be one of my presuppositions, but I always see the Lord more of a warrior and fighter. Though I guess if thought out long enough I can see your point.
Response to Ryan Kilgore said...
Assignment 10
That was a very interesting take on chapter 10 of Romans. The blog did a great job of tying together justification and confession. I am not sure though that confession is always evangelistic. The confession of my sins to God is not to be evangelistic. I would not want that public to everyone. The confession as the proclamation of my faith in the righteousness of God I can possibly see as always evangelistic. The language may need to be worked on. Overall though I would look forward to the possible answer in chapter 11, you have me in suspense.
Response to Wayne Jamel said...
Billwayne W. Jamel
Weekly Blog Assignment #11:
DO I HAVE TO GO TO WORK
I enjoyed the concept of faith is dead without works. The title of the blog was awesome. I am a lazy person by nature and habit. The reading of your blog made me realize even though this may my life it won’t work in my spiritual life. I need Jesus to mold me and I need to act similar together with God. Good illustration of the tree bearing fruit. May God help us all be the right type of tree.
Response to Landon Schnabel said...
Assignment #12
I found the book on Ellen White by Whidden was redundant too. The concept you mentioned on liberals and conservatives was interesting. I never really dealt with labels much in my life. I know, as a Catholic, people would think I would be considered conservative. I have also been categorized as liberal especially in my taste of music. I thought I remember reading that these labels should not be used. I could be wrong. In your comments on the perspectives of the two labels was intriguing. It is true about the perspectives. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it would be a conservative model. The liberal says whatever works. The fact though remains that both liberal and conservatives have their issues of error. Both of the labels can be taken to extremes. Jesus was extreme to the Pharisees because He was filled with the Spirit and they were not. There is much to be said on this may God be with all either conservative or liberal or balanced.
thanks for the insights
Response to Jason O'Rourke said...
Doctrine of Salvation: Assignment 13
The World Awaits
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
I thought that since I started with your blog back in September I will finish with one from you for the final response. That was an intense blog. I enjoyed the historical background to the nations that held feeble gods as their gods who were mere manefistations of evil. The good gods they had were even trivial with their inconsistencies. I liked the contrast of how God reacted to the nations in the Old Testaments to the Olympian gods. Our actions need to be patterned after of Heavenly Father not just our theology.
Response to Brian Assignment 13
Brian, I really appreciate your comment on the final realization of our salvation. It’s not finished yet. But one day it will be. One day Jesus will finally crush Satan, and sin will be no more. I can’t wait for that day! Looking forward to it gives us hope to keep striving toward our goal. Thanks for reminding us of that.
Matthew Shallenberger
Assignment 10
Chapter 11 in Whidden’s book is an enlightening study of Ellen White’s teaching on salvation at the time of the watershed 1888 General Conference. Whidden makes it clear that Mrs. White’s focus was on justification, on the wonderful truth that Christ’s righteousness clothes our frail, sinful humanity.
Whidden argues that Mrs. White’s teaching on justification during 1888 was not really a shift in her theology; it was simply a shift in focus. She had always believed and taught the same message of justification by faith in Jesus. Now she simply emphasized it more. She recognized the value in the message that Jones and Waggoner were spreading, and she heartily endorsed it (though Whidden makes it clear that she did not endorse everything they taught).
Once again in this chapter we can see how balanced Mrs. White’s theology was. She realized that the SDA church had been focusing too much on the law, so much, in fact, that we had become “dry as the hills of Gilboa.” This is why she wrote and spoke so much about justification during and after 1888. Again, these ideas were not new to her theology; she simply began emphasizing them more than ever before. The law is certainly important, and Ellen White never downplayed the law, but we can lose sight of the precious Gospel message if we focus too much on the law and forget about Christ our righteousness.
All this leads me to wonder if there is room today for a renewed emphasis on justification in our Adventist churches. During the early to mid-20th century, it seems like our church swung back toward an overemphasis on the law. Legalism became a real problem. Part of the result of that has been a backlash among younger Adventists against legalistic churches. We grew tired of well-meaning but misguided church members beating us over the head with their interpretation of Adventist standards. Today it seems like more preachers are again emphasizing justification by faith, but I wonder if we need to emphasize it even more. I’ve been in too many churches where legalism, and its natural outcome, judgmentalism, still hold powerful sway. While the law is important and has a place in our churches, it cannot save us, and by itself it cannot transform our lives. What we need is the precious message that was brought to the forefront in 1888: Christ gives us His own righteousness and justifies us freely by His blood.
Assignment 4
Jin soo Park
Here is my most favorite Bible text, “ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him,”so shall your offspring be.” (Rom 4:18)
Sometimes, I got a some situation that my faith is tested. I am sure that it is so hard to test our test in our usual life. The only reason that Abraham can be called as a father of the faith is Abraham got a situation that his faith can be tested. I also think the possibility that someone was there who had stronger faith than Abraham had. But they did get a hard situation that can test their faith. Abraham was the person who had really strong faith. That is why he could succeed God’s test. And I hope that I have really strong faith like Abraham had. Even if I would be placed so hard situation, I want to get a victory from the test. That is the real meaning of faith.
Jinsoo park
response to Jasmine (Assignment 7)
I really like that Sanctification is our life time work. I am pretty sure that there is no end until we get to heaven. because there still have a possibilty to fail. And also I think that even though there is still possibility to fail, we shuold try being not failed. I think that is the one of the main points of our sanctification.
Billwayne W. Jamel
Martin Hanna, Ph.D.
THST540 Doctrine of Salvation 2 credits
08 December 2010
Weekly Blog Assignment #12:
WALKING FISH
Johnny was looking outside his window as his neighbor was walking his dog. He wished he could walk his pet, but the problem was his pet was a fish. It wasn’t fair. Why do dogs get to walk outside and not fish? Well he wasn’t going to let the laws of nature tell his fish what to do. So Johnny took his pet fish out of the bowl and was about to him outside, but that fish wouldn’t let him. It squirmed and wiggled. “Don’t be afraid fishy.” said Johnny. “You can walk if you just put your mind to it. You can do anything.” Well, fishy never walked like a dog that day, but it was able to play dead.
In the book, “Ellen White on Salvation” by Woodrow W. Whidden, there is a chapter entitled, “Perfection before 1888”. In it the author gives an illustration to support being active in moving toward perfection. The illustration he used was that of the paralytic by the pool of Bethesda. He had to be active in the healing in that Christ told him to ‘get up and walk’.
However, I look at this illustration differently. Yes, he had an active role to play in this scenario. However, he couldn’t play any role until Jesus showed up. If he tried to ‘get up and walk’ before Jesus showed up then he was going nowhere.
Yes, I agree with Whidden in that the Christian experience isn’t a passive one. However, being active without Christ is pointless. So many people try to get up and walk without Jesus. They try to better their character without Jesus. They try to grow spiritually without Jesus. Any efforts before Jesus shows up, is in vain.
Jesus wants to show up, but He is waiting for an invitation. The point is, no matter how hard it may try, a fish can’t walk, and neither can an untransformed man. The first active action that we need to take is to invite Him to come into our lives, so that He can perform the miracle of transformation. And then we can be active in following His commands, because now He gives us the strength, ability, and motivation to ‘get up and walk’.
Reed Richardi
Assignment # 13
After reading Whidden’s 14 chapter on perfection and the BRI article by Edward Heppenstall How Perfect Is "Perfect" Or Is Christian Perfection Possible?, I have even more questions about the topic. First off I do want to say that I was disappointed in Heppenstall’s article. It seemed to be a bit superficial (light on exegesis) and he took to the favorite argument and straw man of those who argue against Christian perfection or final generation theology. The straw man is that Christian perfection or final generation theology is based on human righteousness and independence from God’s grace. Now I am not settled on the issue of perfection and realize that it is not an easy issue to deal with, but I do know this. I have never read or listened to any supporters of perfection who focused on or even hinted at human righteousness or independence from God’s grace. I am sure there are some out there but I don’t think they are the majority. The proponents of perfection that I have heard or read have actually stressed absolute dependence upon God and that He is the one who supplies victory to His own glory. But Heppenstall and many others dismiss the perfection position as being based on human righteousness. I guess I am just wishing for some deeper thinking on the issue based on the biblical text. The second disappointment I had with heppenstall’s article was his statements about sinful nature. He made some general statements saying that our sinful nature could be controlled but never eradicated but he never made any of his points biblically. What is interesting is that these statements in Heppenstall’s article followed a lengthy quote from Romans 6 which talks about how our old man was done away with at the cross. Now I am not saying that this text teaches that our sinful nature has or will be completely eradicated before the second coming. But I just don’t feel like Heppenstall dealt with the issue very well. Or maybe I am just looking for answers that we don’t have yet.
I did appreciate Whidden’s chapter on Ellen White’s view of perfection prior to 1888. I feel like he honestly wrestled with both sides of the issue as found in the writings of Ellen White. I think it would be fascinating to read a whole book or dissertation wrestling more deeply with these issues as Whidden does in chapters 14 and onward.
Reed Richardi
Assignment # 13
After reading Whidden’s 14 chapter on perfection and the BRI article by Edward Heppenstall How Perfect Is "Perfect" Or Is Christian Perfection Possible?, I have even more questions about the topic. First off I do want to say that I was disappointed in Heppenstall’s article. It seemed to be a bit superficial (light on exegesis) and he took to the favorite argument and straw man of those who argue against Christian perfection or final generation theology. The straw man is that Christian perfection or final generation theology is based on human righteousness and independence from God’s grace. Now I am not settled on the issue of perfection and realize that it is not an easy issue to deal with, but I do know this. I have never read or listened to any supporters of perfection who focused on or even hinted at human righteousness or independence from God’s grace. I am sure there are some out there but I don’t think they are the majority. The proponents of perfection that I have heard or read have actually stressed absolute dependence upon God and that He is the one who supplies victory to His own glory. But Heppenstall and many others dismiss the perfection position as being based on human righteousness. I guess I am just wishing for some deeper thinking on the issue based on the biblical text. The second disappointment I had with heppenstall’s article was his statements about sinful nature. He made some general statements saying that our sinful nature could be controlled but never eradicated but he never made any of his points biblically. What is interesting is that these statements in Heppenstall’s article followed a lengthy quote from Romans 6 which talks about how our old man was done away with at the cross. Now I am not saying that this text teaches that our sinful nature has or will be completely eradicated before the second coming. But I just don’t feel like Heppenstall dealt with the issue very well. Or maybe I am just looking for answers that we don’t have yet.
I did appreciate Whidden’s chapter on Ellen White’s view of perfection prior to 1888. I feel like he honestly wrestled with both sides of the issue as found in the writings of Ellen White. I think it would be fascinating to read a whole book or dissertation wrestling more deeply with these issues as Whidden does in chapters 14 and onward.
Justification by faith in Rom 14 has a lot to do with practical theology. When we see Paul applying his theology to life we make draw some conclusions on his view on the use of Mosaic law and justification by faith. His chapters from 12-16 may be entitled “living sacrifices to God.” Justification in Rom 14 is mostly dealing with non-judging attitude. We are not supposed to judge our brothers and judgment is the indicator of weakness, not strength as we usually think.
As we know 99% of the conflicts arise because of our big ego involved. We affirm the way we believe as an example for everyone. We do not like to see others sinning a different way than we do. We like to uplift our own perception of righteousness and wickedness. Thus a person who does different things than we do is considered evil person just because he is different. Paul is aware of our limitations as humans and gives us a counsel not to judge one another. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way (KJV Romans 14:13).
As a pastor I was aware that the problems usually arise when people start looking at each other not with the intent of uplifting each other, but with opposite intent. It is the matter of time when the true attitude of the heart would be revealed.
The law of love acts differently. If your brother is concerned how you eat or in what you dress on for the sake of your brother do not do anything that pushes him to the spirit of judgment. Romans 14:22 says: “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” Freedom from spirit of judgment is one of the greatest on the earth. I grew up in the church with judgmental spirit and I praise God that not all the churches are like that. Thus Paul is right saying “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” I need to be free and at the same time not to put anybody into the tray of judgmental spirit.
Thus Rom 14 has practical application for us: do not judge each other – this is the practical side of sanctification. Rumors may kill the church faster than any herecy. That is why Paul is writing to us about non-judgmental spirit.
Assignment 5
Jinsoo park
The first part of Romans 5 talk about the peace and joy. First word of this chapters starts “Therefore”. So Romans 4 said we should have the faith that Abraham had, and he had been justified through faith, it is time to have peace and joy through our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is so powerful message. It talks about how can Christian live with joy and peace? Even if they are placed in suffering, they rejoice. “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, becuase we know that suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance, character, and character hope” (Romans 5:3,4)
Suffering is hope as a christian. It is so wonderful thought. How can suffering become hope. These two things have so different character. But Paul strongly mentioned that Suffering is finally hope. That is our life as a christian. So there will be only peace and joy.
The other part of this chapter talk about Adam and Jesus. Adam was first man who let the sin enter the world. But Jesus is first man, also only man who can save us. I want to focus on the word “only.” The only person we can use the word only is Jesus Christ. Adam was the first person, but not the only person. But Jesus is the not only first person, but also only person to save us.
Thanks Chester for the comment. I appreciate it.
Yeah, the blood of Jesus is the thing that makes the difference.
I too am thankful for his changing power.
Thanks brian for your comment.
I'm glad you like the blog and it's title.
I pray that we're the right tree too.
Reed Richardi
Response # 13 to Wayne assignment # 12
I appreciated your thoughts. Certainly it is futile to try to get up an walk without Jesus. But I also look at the paralytic's acting as the invitation to Christ and an act of faith that despite his inability he trusted Christ was able. Praise the Lord He is able.
Response to Brain Assignment #13
Wow, it never occured to me that satan would be crushed under MY feet. I believe God is the one who crushes Satan, but its nice to get my foot on him. Satan thinks he can win, but not when we have Jesus on our side.
It's also true what you said about people being obedient now, but not nessarily later. I hope we all will remain obedient till the very end.
Mathew Feeley
Response to Kevin's Assignment 10
It's true Kevin, where would we be were it not for the power of God? Thank you for reminding us of what God can do in a person's life.
Thanks Reed for commenting on my blog. I'm glad to see that someone was able to read it.
Oh yeah, I agree with the fact that the paralytic had faith that Christ was able to work the miracle in his life. It's really the thing that touching here, because it tells me God is able to work in my life (praise God), I just need to actively cooperate with Him.
Mathew Feeley
Response 2
Response to Michael Jones
Assignment 6
Michael I really like your point about the fact that we all obey. It's true we are very obedient but who or what do we obey? The flesh, sin, Satan, God, His word, righteousness. Good job Michael
response to Kevin Solomon assignment 11.
haha, Yo, that's hilarious how you have like 10 post in a row. You were pullin' it in! That's great stuff. I congradulate you in getting it done. So now, I have to comment on one of your blogs.
I hear what you're saying about the two Adams. Sometimes we get so caught up in the controversy over this passage, that we miss the beautiful message here.
I also praise God that we get to pass from death to life. That's serious hope.
Matthew Shallenberger
Assignment 11
Balance is a theme I’ve commented on several times during my journey of writing and reflecting in this class. I’ve pointed out how balanced Ellen White’s views on salvation are. She can write of the necessity of the perfection of our character, and yet turn around and speak of our dependence on Jesus for our salvation. This balance I’ve observed is especially significant since for much of my life I’ve heard Mrs. White’s writings used and abused by some very unbalanced people. It’s amazing to me that people can read her writings and come up with such extreme ideas which they propound as the “straight testimony.” Yet it shouldn’t be that surprising, I suppose; people do the same thing with the Bible.
Chapter 12 in Whidden’s book provides yet another example of Mrs. White’s balance. In this chapter Whidden discusses Mrs. White’s writings on justification in the four years following 1888. While she continued to write with a strong emphasis on justification and on Christ our righteousness, she still wrote about the importance of faith and works. She never separated the two. We are saved by putting our faith in Jesus, but that does not excuse us from obeying God’s law. We are not saved in our sins, but from them.
The way I see it, it’s a matter of focus. The Christian life is a narrow way with a ditch on either side, and if we lose focus, we risk falling into one or the other of those ditches. On the one hand, we must not overemphasize Christ’s free gift of righteousness so much that we cheapen God’s grace and make it seem as though we don’t have to live up to God’s perfect standard once we are “saved.” On the other hand, we can focus so much on our behavior, on doing the “right” things and being “perfect,” that we lose sight of Jesus, the Source of our salvation. Our works will never save us!
Whidden uses a wonderful metaphor to describe this issue of focus. He compares us to trolleys and buses. “The trolley gets down the street by keeping its boom connected to the source of power from above. The bus gets along by depending on the power it receives from its own fuel tanks. The simple fact is that believers simply do not have enough in the ‘tank’ to make it when it comes to merit. We must be trolley cars all the way to the kingdom—every moment and mile of the way!” It is only by staying connected to the Power from above that we can ever achieve the perfection of our characters. We will never succeed by focusing on ourselves and constantly trying to evaluate our relative perfection. Often this leads us to look at others around us to see if we’re “better” than they are. But others can’t save me. And I can’t save me. Only Jesus can save me.
Mathew Feeley
Response 3
Jason O'Rourke
Assignment 6
I love your heading for your blog "Family Debt." And I sense frustration as you right about Adam and how he cause this mess we're in. I guess sin is so deceptive that even though everything was perfect, we might have done the same thing. I'd hate to think so but it's possible. I look forward to the time when sin will be no more and I'm sure you do too.
Assignment 6
Jinsoo Park
Romans Chapter 6 talk about the dead to Sin, but alive in Christ. Paul strongly said we died to sin. It is so hard work to die to sin. The meaning of dead is that there is no I. We must die. There is nothing about us. That is the meaning of dead. And the only thing we can revive again is dying first. Without dying we cannot revive. Because we are still alive. So we should die to our sin, but when we revive, we should be revived by new life of Christ.
And finally, this chapter says that we are not under law but under grace. We are revive by the grace. That is God’s grace. Even if we are not a person who can be saved, God save us. We are not enough to get something, but God give us. It is grace. So when we try to die ourselves to sin, that is it. We will revive by the grace of God.
Mathew Feeley
Response 4 to Jasmine Assignment 5
It's a valid point you raise Jasmine. I think it can be answered with two texts. The first is in the same chapter of Romans when Paul says that "since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." The other passage is Acts 17:31 where Paul (in the context of preaching the Gospel to an audience who never heard it before) says "having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent." Hope this was helpful. Thanks for your post.
Billwayne W. Jamel
Martin Hanna, Ph.D.
THST540 Doctrine of Salvation 2 credits
08 December 2010
Weekly Blog Assignment #13:
blessed INsurance
Have you ever tried to sign up for insurance? It’s so complicated. There’re so many rules and details. And there’s like an insurance for everything in life. Car insurance, laptop insurance, insurance for your big toe. I mean, we even have life insurance. Let’s be serious, if I’m dead, and I don’t have a family to take care of, then WHY IN THE WORLD would I need life insurance? I can care less about paying off my debts after I’m dead. The only life insurance that really matters is the blessed assurance in Jesus Christ. That’s one good insurance policy.
In the book, “Ellen White on Salvation” by Woodrow W. Whidden, the last chapter is entitled, “What Does It All Mean?” There’s a part that deals with forgiveness and the fact that God intercedes on our behalf to make us good to go. This is encouraging to me because we can have assurance.
This is a good note to end off the semester. Throughout this class, we have been dealing with Salvation. There has been a lot of discussion and at times even confusion. But what I want to say now is that when it’s all said and done, let’s have the assurance of Salvation. We might not be able to grasp every aspect of Salvation, predestination, justification, and all the ‘ations’, but let’s know at least this: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes (puts their salvivic trust) in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). It’s okay to be confused. Keep studying, but don’t miss your Salvation in the process and trying to understand it.
The Bible is a big book with even bigger concepts that we won’t ever fully comprehend, but what’s awesome about it is that at the end of the Bible— at the end of countless truths and tons of doctrines, lays a simple conclusion in the last verse of the Bible: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people” (Revelation 22:21). Let’s have the assurance that we as individuals are his people and that His grace is with us.
Assignment 10 Repost
DOS
Justification is an acknowledgement of the faithfulness of God. Faith does not accomplish justification, faith receives justification. The more we understand about righteousness by faith, the more glorious it becomes. But remember that, "Without the transforming process which can come alone through divine power, the original propensities to sin are left in the heart in all their strength, to forge new chains, to impose a slavery that can never be broken by human power. But men can never enter heaven with their old tastes, inclinations, idols, ideas, and theories." The Review and Herald, August 19, 1890. Justification is accomplished by God’s faithfulness.
Through justification by faith the image of Christ is stamped upon the mind, heart and soul making it possible for man to have the mind of Christ as did the apostle Paul. In Christ’s Object Lessons, 163, we find this amazing statement: "As the sinner, drawn by the power of Christ, approaches the uplifted cross and prostrates himself before it, there is a new creation. A new heart is given him. He becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus. Holiness finds that it has nothing more to require. God Himself is ‘the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.’ Romans 3:26." Faith, love and hope are tied together in Christ. When one believes in Jesus Christ that one also receives sealing in Christ through the Holy Spirit. When the sinner is converted he receives the Holy Spirit, that makes him a child of God, and fits him for the society of the redeemed and the angelic host. He is made a joint heir with Christ." The Southern Work, 12. "The grace of Christ purifies while it pardons, and fits man for a holy heaven." That I May Know Him, 336.
Mathew Feeley
Response 5 to Elias Assignment 5
You mention that we as can Christians can hasten the coming of the lord, as the righteous lives of believers would witness to the world and hence cease delaying the second advent. In your opinion is it our unrighteousness or lack of witnessing or both that is causing the delay? Some would say it's flawed to think that our righteousness or unrighteousness is interfering with Christ's coming.
Assignment 7
Jinsoo Park
The purpose of the law is letting us know what sins are. But Paul still talk about dead. When we die to sin, we do not have to live as a servant of sin. If we are still living as a servant of sin, it means we are not died yet to sin. This is the evidence we died or not yet.
There is only one law. But Paul also says that there are two kinds of people who apply law to their life. The purpose God made law is to give us new life. Through the law we can see what sins are. This is the only purpose of law. But sometime we use law to kill others. And also sometimes we think that God made law to judge our sin. If we think like this, the purpose of law that God made for us is for dead. But Paul strongly mentioned that law is for life.
For using law as a tool to give us new life, we should died to sin first. This is the only way for getting a new life. Dying to sin is so important in our life. I am sure that is the first part works of law.
Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. (Romans 7:13)
Assignment 11
DOS
The biggest question that I have been researching is when the “begetting” of the Son took place. Some commentators specify a moment outside of time, perhaps the author understands of the sonship of Christ and its expression in Ps 2. It may be that he took seriously the language of the psalm about Christ “becoming” Son and set decisive moment either at creation or some primordial event or at the Son’s incarnation,his baptism. At what point was Christ Salvation secured! Given the context, which has already proclaimed the exaltation of the Son, the Christian most likely understands this moment of begetting as the moment of the Son’s exaltation. The Psalm text is so linked in other NT writings (Acts 13:33).
To deal with this problem, as well as with the tension between those who argue for Christ’s becoming Son at some point such as exaltation have maintained that the term “Son” is properly applied at the point of exaltation. One could understand references to the pre-existence or incarnate Christ as Son to mean “he who will become son.” Another attempt to reconcile the two Christological perspective while maintaining primary focus on the exaltation is to see the proclamation of Christ as Son not as the creation of a new status but as the definitive recognition or revelation of what Christ is and has been.
Yet in Heb 1:1-4, the main clause is the statement that the Son has spoken in these last day; Heb 1:2, putting Son in the new day in contrast to former days. In addition, the main verb of the relative clause in verse 3 places the locus of its exalted descriptions at the point of Christ’s session at the right hand of Majesty.
Mathew Feeley
Response 6 to Tyler Rosengren's Assignment 4
Good point about the apparent contradiction in James and Romans. And an even better solution. Great work!!
Mathew Feeley
Response 7 to Paolo Tenorio Assignment 10
I like use use of the terms plan and predestination. I especially like your closing statements on the topic and have found your observations useful. Blessings.
Response 8 to Brian Assignment 6
I agree that Salvation hangs of this verse. It summarizes the dilemma and solution of sin. It's a beautiful contrast painted here between sin and salvation, life and death. I also like your comments about inherited sin. Blessings.
Mathew Feeley
Response 9 to Young Suh Assignment 12
This indeed is a difficult verse to understand. I found you're three final points helpful as I considered the issues involved. God Bless.
Assignment 12
DOS
Gift Return
Throughout the entire word of God this basis for justification by faith is confirmed. For example, in Romans 5:12, 17–19 we read: "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. For if by one man’s offense death reined by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men in condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous."
That which Christ has provided for us and wants to do for us is the basis or foundation of justification by faith. Is it possible even though Christ is the representative, are His actions enough to cover our consistent disobedience. In the Bible, both Adam and Christ represent the human race. Therefore, what occurred with Adam and Christ has to do, in a spiritual sense, with everyone born into this world. For example, when Adam, the representative of our race, was tempted to rebel against God and in doing so, sinned, he brought death upon himself and all his descendents. When Christ became our representative by coming to earth in human flesh, He likewise was tempted by the devil to sin. But He did not rebel as Adam had done; He obeyed God. And because of His victory over Satan, He was able and willing to die for our sins so that the sentence of death could be reversed to eternal life—if we accept the gift. Is this a gift that can be revoked by continual disobedience
Mathew Feeley
Response 10 to Alicia Johnston Assignment 5
I agree with your statement that "justification and sanctification (so called) are both applying force in the same direction (when rightly understood)" and when you say that "we are helpless to achieve either." I'm just wondering however what your understanding of Philippians 2:12 where Paul says "to work out your own salvation." In this passage it seems like we have work to do.
Assignment 7
Jinsoo Park
The purpose of the law is letting us know what sins are. But Paul still talk about dead. When we die to sin, we do not have to live as a servant of sin. If we are still living as a servant of sin, it means we are not died yet to sin. This is the evidence we died or not yet.
There is only one law. But Paul also says that there are two kinds of people who apply law to their life. The purpose God made law is to give us new life. Through the law we can see what sins are. This is the only purpose of law. But sometime we use law to kill others. And also sometimes we think that God made law to judge our sin. If we think like this, the purpose of law that God made for us is for dead. But Paul strongly mentioned that law is for life.
For using law as a tool to give us new life, we should died to sin first. This is the only way for getting a new life. Dying to sin is so important in our life. I am sure that is the first part works of law.
Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. (Romans 7:13)
Assignment 8
Jinsoo Park
There are two laws. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. (Rom 8:2) the first law is law of the spirit of life in Christ. Why are there two laws? The main point is our mind. The one of the differences is how do we apply law in our life.
When we see law, what do we think? Do we see the death through the law? If we apply death in our life when we before law, that is law of sin and death. But now we must see new life through the law. When we apply the law in our life as a tool of new life, that is the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
This chapter contains the important text that is talking about the steps of salvation. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified (8:30)
And through this text, I see the important of the works of God. In this world, the process of salvation is God’s work. He called us, predestined us, justified and glorified us. And even if the main focus is us who getting salvation, the all of things are worked by God.
Mathew Feeley
Response 11 to Marco Assignment 5
It's true we're very good at beating ourselves up. Like Peter did it's tempting to give up when we fail Christ. But Christ doesn't give up on us; He looks for us; He forgives us and gives us the opportunity to walk with again. Praise God!!
Matthew Shallenberger
Assignment 12
Romans chapter 12 marks a shift in Paul’s discourse. Up to this point he has been making theological arguments. Now he begins to practically apply the theology he has been teaching.
The chapter begins by Paul exhorting the believers: “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Paul has been talking about salvation: what it is, how it works, how to receive it, etc. Now he tells the believers how to live once they have received God’s free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ.
I’m intrigued by this concept of presenting our bodies as living sacrifices. Considering that Paul is writing to Jews, he is no doubt drawing imagery from the Hebrew sacrificial system. Instead of a lamb, though, the believers are to offer their bodies. We ourselves are the living sacrifice which we offer to God. What does this mean? How do we present ourselves as living sacrifices? Paul tells us in the rest of the chapter.
Paul’s teaching in the following verses is intensely practical. He tells us what being a living sacrifice is not (it is not conformity to this world’s standards). He tells us what living sacrifices do together in the body of Christ (each member has a specific role to play, and none of them look down on any of the others). And he tells us how living sacrifices behave. They treat each other with love and respect. They work to serve the church as a whole. They are humble, joyful, hardworking, peaceable. Rather than being vengeful, they trust God to work true justice for them. They never give in to evil; instead they overcome it with good.
After reading all of these qualities, the character of living sacrifices, a burning question weighs on my mind: What would our churches look like if we actually put Paul’s teaching into practice? What if we all became living sacrifices?
Mathew Feeley
Response 12 to Wayne Jamel Assignment 5
I agree with your conclusion on perfection. Would you say the same applies to us being "spotless" or "blameless" as the New Testament describes us before the coming of Christ?
Response to Jinsoo Park’s Assignment 7
Wow, your observation about how we use the law to kill others and to judge is deep! I don’t know if I’ve ever thought about it like that before. We end up turning God’s good law into something deadly because we use it as a weapon of condemnation. That is truly sobering.
Assignment 8
The battle between good and evil, the spiritual man and the man of sin, the fight for life, the fight of our lives, is depicted in chapter seven. Paul states, “The good that I want to do I do not, the sin that I do not that is what I do.” “O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death? I praise God for Jesus… so with my mind I serve god but with the flesh the law of sin.
The battle between the flesh and the spirit is ongoing and rages ferociously. The Christian cannot even see the battle without the spirits help. Before I was saved I didn’t care but once the spirit came the battle was for real.
There is no victory in the war without complete surrender to Christ. Christ is the only one who is able to defeat the flesh. The battle can be quite hard but it is God’s desire that all are victorious. If one learns to lean completely on the spirit of God then victory will be inevitable. The bible says that whatsoever is born of God will overcome the world. It is a guarantee that we shall be victorious if we only lean.
Apart from Christ there can be on victory.
Mathew Feeley
Response 13 to Alicia Johnston Assignment 11
Excellent comparison of the words faith, belief, and trust. You have shown the differences and similarities clearly. Personally, I like the word trust when it comes to issues of salvation. Blessings
Assignment 9
Jinsoo Park
Paul said “Christ is the end of the law”. I was thinking that “Is this text meaning Christ is the purpose of law?” if so, after he died, law is not need anymore. Because he was the the only purpose of law.
Paul mentioned two righteousness that one is God’s way, righteousness by faith, and the other is human’s way, righteouness by law. And the reason that Jews was failed was they just thought law as a human’s way. They tried to get righteousness by law. But God does not want to do that for us. That is not the purpose God gave us law. God want us to use law as a God’s way. God want us to have righteousness by faith. So I knew that this text means Jesus is the end of the law that used by Jews. Jesus is end of the human’s way. He did end the way to get righteousness by law. So that is why Paul said, For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. (Rom 10:3)
Matthew Shallenberger
Assignment 13
Romans chapter 13 is a chapter I feel we often overlook (to our detriment, I might add). I don’t know if this applies to all parts of the world, but it sure seems like those of us who are natives of the United States totally miss what Paul says in this chapter.
Now, I don’t pretend to have a perfect understanding of Paul’s theology. I’m not going to assume that my exegesis of this chapter is flawless. But here are some of my thoughts on it. Before I begin, I should also add that I am not anti-American (lest anyone think so by what I am about to say). But neither do I value my American citizenship higher than my heavenly citizenship. I am first and foremost a Christian. Then I am an American.
Paul strongly warns us against rebelling against earthly authorities in this chapter. As followers of Jesus, we are to submit ourselves to the secular governing authorities. They have been established by God (we need only to look to Dan. 2 for added emphasis on this point). If we resist earthly authorities, we are actually defying God Himself, since He is the one who sets up earthly authorities. Our submission even affects our pocketbooks; we are to pay taxes to our governments when they require it.
Now the tricky part (I refer the reader once again to my second paragraph). How does this apply to us Americans, who are so proud of our revolutionary heritage? Every year on July 4 we celebrate our rebellion against the king of England. What might Paul have said to our Founding Fathers if he were alive at that time? This question especially disturbs me because a key issue in the American Revolution was the paying of taxes—something that Paul mentions specifically in Romans 13! It further concerns me because I see many Americans, Christians included, continuing to display defiant and rebellious attitudes toward the government today, especially in the area of taxes. Today we even have the rise of the so-called Tea Party, which harkens back to our tax-hating, government-resisting, rebellious origins. If we don’t like something about the government, we think it’s our right to overthrow it and start all over (that idea is right there in the Declaration of Independence).
Now, I count it a privilege to be an American citizen. There are many great things that I love about this country. There are also some things I don’t love. This nation and its government are far from perfect (obviously; it’s made up of sinful humans). Are our eyes open to our civic shortcomings?
I believe that Christ calls us to a total transformation of character. Everything we are is to be brought under subjection to His will. This includes our civic lives. The preceding analysis (which I tried to make as brief as possible; there’s a lot more I could say on this topic) leads me to wonder if we American Christians are truly living up to our high calling. Paul in this chapter links salvation with submission to earthly authorities. What do we do this teaching? Do we skim over this chapter? Reinterpret it in a manner more favorable to the United States? Find a way to make it non-applicable to us? Or do we allow it to convict us?
Response to Joel Bohannon’s Assignment 8
“The battle can be quite hard but it is God’s desire that all are victorious.” Thank you for that inspiring thought. I need to be reminded of that often. Sometimes when the battle is especially difficult, we grow discouraged. But we need to remember that we always have Jesus on our side! He’s the one who will lead us to victory.
ASSIGNMENT #11
MARCO QUARTEROLI
ON THE CLASS DISCUSSION TODAY
After class I stopped by the little gathering around Dr. Hannah and I got this insight on a problem I always issued with. How does God see time? If we had at least some study done on this matter it would be absolutely amazing because it would help interpret some of the main issues with Predestination in the Bible. I asked our professor if there’s History in Eternity, which is an essential question on how God sees time.
If Eternity has a History so there’s past, present and future in God’s realm and Dr. Hannah elaborated that if there’s history so God knows the future but then another question comes up: If He knows the future does he change it? Or even a more daring approach would be, can He change it? Of course we believe that God can do everything so he can change it but it that something he does?
So many questions that are very particular to the topic of Salvation because it relates to aspects of How God sees things and how he relates to them or they relate to him. Issues like this of God and time are important in our way of reading God’s word and interpreting it as it would bring a better foundation for ur understanding of God’s nature and His plan for our salvation. So here the question remains: “ How does God sees time? Anyone want to take a shot at this and solve the enigma? God bless you all
Assignment 10
Jinsoo Park
I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Roman 12:1-2)
This Bible text is my favorite text. We should know that what God did for us, and what God want us to do for salvation. As we know, he works in our life. When I read verse 2, I could find God’s wiil for us. Surely, God did something for us. He planed a plan just for me. Paul says, we may prove it. For doing this, our mind should be renewed.
What is the worship. Worship is acceptance God as our savior. That is why we praise him who is our savior. And verse 1 says we should give him our bodies and our all mind. That is our spiritual worship, our real worship that we must give him.
Assignment 11
Jinsoo Park
Roman 13 is taling about serveral topics. I want to focus on the love, the second part of this chapter. Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Roman 13:8-10)
As we know ten commendment is can be divide two parts. One is loving Jesus. The other is loving people. And Paul make sure that the last part of ten commendment by verse 9.
If have love in our heart, we must not do wrong to a neighbor. And love is the fulfilling of the law. I heard a story from friend of mine. Bible has 66 books. And if we summarize the whole Bible as a word, that is love. Love is perfect explaination of law. The only thing the law talk about is love. It is so important message for us. If we obey God’s law without love, that is not obedience. Jews did like this. They just obey God’s law even if they really did not want to obey. For obedience, we should have love in our heart first. This is the first step of obedience.
Jinsoo Park
Response to ASSIGNMENT # 7 MARCO QUARTEROLI
I agree that the salvation is mercy business. without mercy there will be no salvation. I want to use other word "grace". in fact we are not possible to get the salvation, but God gave us by his grace and mercy.
that is the point why we can be possible to get salvation.
Assignment 12
Jinsoo Park
We are the life that living for God. Most of our time, we are living for ourselves. But Paul said that is not the life as a christian. We were born to live for God. That is why Paul said “None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.” If we are real christian, if we are really God’s people we should live for him.
When we apply this message in our life, we can get wonderful change in our life. Verse 8 says “If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.” There is nothing for us even our death. Some one might think that even if we are God’s people, our life is ours, not God’s. But Paul strongly tells that all of us are God’s even our life. So if the others blame me, that does not make us angry. If people want me to work as a servant of them, that does not make me upset. Because I am not mine, but God’s even our life.
Assignment 13
Jinsoo Park
Romans 15 says, our life is not for ourselves. verse 2 says "let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him."
we should live for his neighbor and his good.
in fact, the life of Jesus was not for himself but others. "For Christ did not please himself."
Christ was the light of the world. when we think about light, what is the purpose of the light? when we turn on the light, after turning that, we never focus on the light. what I want to talk about is the purpose of light is not the light. the purpose of light is just to let us see well others.
Jesus was the light in this world. and we should live as a light. Paul mentioned about this through his other book "for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light" this is what God want us to live, and also this is the life Christ lived.
ASSIGNMENT # 12
MARCO QUARTEROLI
LAST THOUGHTS ON SALVATION
I had a blessed time with the Class this Semester, it made think and will continue to make study the topics as they come up in my ministry. But one thing is sure, Salvation is a marvelous gift from God, one we didn’t deserve and to learn that it is a process and not a complete action, consummated in one point in time in my life is to bring down all the things I had learn since childhood. I was taught that Jesus had saved me and that was the end of the story, everything else was just a matter of time and we would be in Heaven. I guess that works when you are a kid in Catechism and dreaming about being a priest someday.
This process (Justification, Sanctification, glorification) lasts a lifetime, the Holy Spirit brings us to Jesus who pays the price for my redemption, Jesus takes me to the Father so I can inherit the Heavens and the Earth as promised in His Word. It is a perfect mechanism produced by the divine mind in order to save the fallen race. It is daunting to behold such Initiative by a God that was betrayed and receive His forgiveness after we are still in rebellion. The class helped me to see these things in a greater light and I am now immersed in this amazing river of blessings from God’s Word. Thank you all
Assignment #13
DOS
Justification is from the future for present obedience. (Rom 3:28, Gal 2:16; 3:11-14). This
is connected to our lifestyle of obedience to Christ and living in harmony with His will living according to His works
In forgiving our past disobedience the obedience of Christ is placed to the account of the repentant sinner. Understanding the fact that justification has two directions to it helps to balance the apparent tension between what Christ has done for us in the past and what He does for us in the future "The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he is incapable of rendering it. The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner’s account. Christ’s righteousness is accepted in place of man’s failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul,[and] treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loved His Son." Selected Messages, vol. 1, 367. At the end of time God declares those who have accepted Christ as savior from sin justified and that is because of Christ and what He has done.
The true Christian does not work to be saved. He works the works of Christ because he is saved. Such an experience fills the heart with unspeakable joy and peace. He is having a true and living relationship with his Savior, an experience that makes it possible for him to achieve victory over every temptation and sin.
Sanctification is the work of Christ within us, but not without us. Even when we cooperate with God in the experience of sanctification, it is not our cooperation that brings sanctification. We can consider Paul’s expression “from faith to faith” to mean advancing from justification or in terms that God gives us faith and then we respond to Him in faith in order to be justified.
Response to young suh
Assignment 3
I really like what you wrote. Faith is so important in our life, that is the only way to get righteousness of God. sometime we try to get righteousness by law, but that is so dangerous thought.
thank you for wonderful message.
Response to Kevin Assignment #7
Christ on the inside of the believer is the passport to glory; Col 1:27-29.
The ministry of the Spirit/righteousness is glorious: the ministry of the Spirit is more glorious than the giving of the letter of the law at Sinai. Through the infilling of the Spirit the believer gets prepared for glory. Righteousness by faith is evidenced by faith working through love: Gal 5:5, 6. Rom 5:1,2,5 give three items that are evident in the life of a Christian.
Response to Jasmine
Assignment 13
I really enjoy that two directions what Christ done for us past, and what will do for us future.
sometime we are just living for only future, our salvation that we will get future, our future life. but without past what Christ did for us, there will be no salvation in our future.
Response to Kevin Assignment 10
"In Acts Paul is man who needs to experience the power of the gospel. We see a man who knew the law, but never knew his true soul poverty. We see a man who knows everything about the bible, yet he did not know Christ." I really appreciate this comment, it shows the difference between the knowing of the gospel, and knowing the Gospel
Response to Kevin Assignment 9
I appreciate your perspective!
Is it possible as a living Sacrifice to have God's Will and their own will? Can a Christian ever truly obtain the status of a living sacrifice?
Response to Alexander #6
I appreciate the thought you have put into this blog.
Is it possible that Paul wants sin to be dead to the Christian? We often say we are dead to sin, are we giving sin living attributes?
Response to Alex #12
This is a very important point that we often focus on the Christlikeness of our message.
You have clearly identified the steps that are normally skipped, thank you!
Response to Matt #11
Straight testimony, have we lost that element in our message? Is balance now replaced with politically correct? As pastors are we giving our member the balanced straight testimony?
Response to Brian comment #13
I appreciate your thoughts.
Paul spends a fair amount of time on obedience, in all of his letters. Paul was trying to motivate, by giving them a glimmer of hope.
Response to Jason #12
"There is no condemnation for those who by faith walk after the Spirit, or submit to the Spirit."
That is a message of hope, and encouragement! How is a Christians faith measured?
Response to Joel #8
"There is no victory in the war without complete surrender to Christ. Christ is the only one who is able to defeat the flesh. "
Doesn't Christ win, without me acknowledging the war or victory? Even those who are lost are not aware of the spiritual warfare, but it does not me that the battle is lost...
Response to Jinsoo Park #13
"in fact, the life of Jesus was not for himself but others. "For Christ did not please himself."
Jesus Christ pleased God with His Sacrifice. Not only the life of Jesus Christ was for others, but also His death, and resurrection!
John Coaxum
Assignment #7
The atonement is a concept that most Christians talk about but is probably the most misunderstood. The interesting thing about Salvation and the gospel is that it is both simple and complicated at the same time. Ellen G. White is clear that Christ’s death was able to fulfill the penalty we should have obtained because of sin and paid the debt that we owe. This is pretty much the simple part of Christianity and salvation. Christ has done all the necessary duties that secured our redemption. The complicated portion is that even though Christ died for all, once and all, and even though his sacrifice is complete in and of itself not everyone will be saved. People must still choose Christ for themselves. And yes even that seems simple enough but most Adventists today don’t adhere to the belief that says, once saved always saved. So it stands to reason that men and women must choose God not once or twice but daily; over and over again. So even though Christ’s atonement was complete at Calvary it still really cant save anyone who does not want to be saved.
And furthermore since I have already touched on a sensitive issue about the atonement, I will go even a step further. I found interesting the point that Dr. Hanna made in class concerning the “completion” of Christ’s work. In keeping with our perspective it would appear that Christ finished his work when He arose to Heaven. But when we really think about, as Dr. Hanna mentioned at one point, wasn’t Christ’s work pretty much as good as done when he stated it in the Garden (Genesis 3:15). Or rather was it way back in heaven when Sister white says that even before man needed redemption (in the sense of real time), Christ had already petitioned the father to go down and save them. So which one was it? Was mankind already saved before the cross or at the cross? I don’t have any answers the atonement is definitely simple and complex at the same time.
John Coaxum
Response to Jinsoo Assignment 13
Thank you for that post Jinsoo. It brought a fairly new angle to the text. We often think of the light and salvation in a selfish manner in regards to ourselves but the light is also for us to see others better as well. again thank you
response to pastor rechard reed.
it is true pastor, i agree with you that in order for us to understand the humanity nad the divine nature of Jesus Christ , we have to be born again!
areponse to kelvin solomon on assigment no 11.
very intersting comment! i agree with you on what you have commented, God bless you in your ministry!
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