One God = Same Faith

Sign In  |  Order  |  Donate  |  Sponsor

Romans 3:29-30 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.     Thoughts for Today:   Paul is basically saying to the Jews: "You don't own God." This is a good lesson for us as well because if we are not careful we too can be guilty of limiting what God can do (or has said) based upon our own beliefs and biases. Throughout the centuries of church history debates have regularly occurred over interpretation of Scripture. The furor and passion of these disputes have sometimes led to denominational or congregational splits. However, the one positive thing that comes out of most types of Biblical discussion is a lot more people open, read, and study their Bibles with greater interest and passion to find out what God has said about a subject. And when God's people read the Word -- revival almost always follows. In our passage today, Paul sums up God's position on divisiveness within the church: "There is only one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith." I think this statement is God's equation for resolving controversies within the body from His perspective: One God = Same Faith (in Jesus' sacrifice).     Questions to Ponder:   Sometimes Christians get caught up in their differences with other denominations rather than what we all have in common: One God = Same Faith. If our focus is placed on our similarities, the disagreements seem a lot less significant.   Are other Christians rubbing you the wrong way because they don't see things the same way you do?   Where is your focus today?    Where should it be?   Answer: On Jesus

Want to learn how to be FEARLESS the next time you share your faith?

Who Wants to be Punished ?

Sign In  |  Order  |  Donate  |  Sponsor

Romans 3:26 ...he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.     Thoughts for Today:   Imagine for a moment a courtroom setting. A man stands before the judge convicted of murder and awaits sentencing. The judge's own son enters the courtroom to stand at the side of the murderer, then addresses the court: "I am willing to take this man's punishment -- let him go free." But before gavel of judgment can fall, the murderer interrupts to say: "I reject your son's offer. I choose to accept punishment for my own crime." Who among us would feel sorry for the murderer when he gets what he deserves? Who would shed a tear? In our passage today, Paul tells us God provides this same offer of "justification" (just as if I hadn't sinned) for all who choose to have faith in Jesus Christ. God did so "to demonstrate His justice." Unfortunately, too many people have better things to do than consider God's plan for redemption and eternal life. I guess career, vacations, relationships and other distractions are more important than eternity.     Questions to Ponder:   Would anyone in their right mind choose punishment for what they deserve?   God has offered His own Son as payment for our sin --   Have you accepted His incredible offer of forgiveness?

About Us

In 1893 a teenage girl named Helen Cadbury found new life in Jesus Christ and discovered the power of the Scriptures. Helen organized a group of girls who sewed pockets into their dresses so they could carry the Word of God with them. They were united with the simple pledge to read a portion of the scripture daily, carry it wherever they went, and use it to share their faith with others. They called their group The Pocket Testament League.

Since then, members of The Pocket Testament League have faithfully shared the Word of God in simple one-to-one encounters. The lives of friends, family, co-workers and total strangers have been changed for eternity through these humble acts of obedience.

 

Why go to Church?

If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this!
If you're spiritually dead, you won't want to read it.
If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope!

Why Go To Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing..... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment! 
 
"When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say,

"Jesus, could you get that for me?"

Purchased and Set Free

Romans 3:24b

...by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

 

 

Thoughts for Today:

 

For Paul's readers the idea of redemption was clear because at the center of most Greek cities stood the "agora" -- "the place of redemption, a marketplace where buying and selling took place". The Greek word for the "act" of redemption (to buy or bought) is "agorazo", but that is not the word used here.

The second Greek word for redemption is "exagorazo" which is the "act of purchasing or redeeming never to return". In Biblical times a slave for example, could be purchased for a season of harvesting, then returned to the market and sold again. "Exagorazo" was the opposite of this practice -- it meant permanent possession. However, ''exagorazo" is not the word used here.

In our passage today is the third Greek word used for redemption: "apolutrosis", which means "liberation procured by the payment of a ransom", or practically: to purchase a slave with the intent of setting him free completely -- to never be a slave again.

For us redemption is all of these: agorazo -- because we have been purchased by the Lord (see 1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23, 7:30; 2 Peter 2:1); exagorazo -- because we will never be sold again (see Galatians 3:13 and 4:5; Colossians 4:5); and it is specifically in our passage today apolutrosis -- because the Lord purchased us so we could be set free from sin (see Luke 21:29; Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 1:30).

 

 

Questions to Ponder:

 

The Bible tells us we have been purchased and set free.

Do you feel free or do you still live under the illusory power of sin?

In Romans 8:2, Paul will tell us because of Christ's death sin has no power over us ("...through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death...") we therefore have a choice.

Jesus has purchased you with his life and you have been set free --

the only question that remains --

will you accept (or acknowledge) your freedom?

Introduce the children to their Creator