Spiritual Nuggets

For 05-31-2009

171. Paul said he was not ashamed of the gospel (Rom. 1:16). An overview of his life reveals the significance of those words. He was beat, chained, imprisoned, had numerous people try to kill him, etc. All of that occurred because he spread the gospel. In spite of all his sufferings, he was not ashamed of it, because it was (and still is) the power of God for the salvation of all who believe. The all-importance of one’s salvation is indirectly reflected here. Paul was a man who had clear spiritual vision, which wasn’t clouded by things of this life, and he viewed the gospel message and salvation as most precious.

172. What is it like to be set apart for the gospel, as Paul was (Rom. 1:1)? To spread the gospel message was Paul’s focus, his purpose to live, what he sacrificed for and was willing to die over, but it meant that which would change people from addicted followers of evil to followers of Jesus and possessors of eternal life. It is the gospel that the devil fears and tries to change into something less to nullify its spiritual power.

173. Unless one reads the Bible for himself he will never know many basic spiritual truths. One such truth, which seems contrary to the way most view God is: The holy God, who hates sin and commands us to obey, will actually turn certain people over to various forms of extreme wickedness. NOTE why God did that and what their behavior became afterwards:

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. (Rom 1:22-28)

This seems to be a possible explanation of how serial killers can torture, murder and even eat their victims. Their depravity is extreme. (It is also interesting that they were all sex perverts.)

174. Romans 1:18-32 is crystal clear in showing that some people who turn away from God can afterwards be much more vile and wicked than before they ever had salvation. That fact is often denied in our day. Furthermore, some would like to convince us that God’s children who turn away to that extreme retain their salvation, even in those sins! It should be apparent that is dangerously wrong, but many have closed their eyes from seeing it.

175. Us doing evil or doing good is the issue with God:

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. (Rom 2:7-10)

Dangerously, many religious people have been deceived into thinking the only issue is faith, with their false version of faith being disconnected from obedience. Among other verses, this passage reveals vital details:

Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. (Rom 1:5)

James 2 is also clear on what a saving faith is in connection with works. Other verses also show a saving faith can cease to exist, be destroyed and become shipwrecked (Lk. 8:13; 2 Tim. 2:18; 1 Tim. 1:19,20; Rom. 11:19-23). A saving faith is not related to Calvinism.