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Exalting Christ Through the Ministry of the Word

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Journal

Created for God’s Glory

August 19, 2020 by Poimen

Thinking Out Loud

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. 

Psalm 139:13–18

I like to be liked. Suffice it to say, I don’t like not being liked. I feel safe making this confession because frankly, I’ve never met anyone who genuinely claimed to enjoy not being liked. One of life’s realities is that sooner or later, you will meet someone who doesn’t like you. Maybe they simply dislike you because of something you can’t change. Maybe you did something that disappointed them. In either case… I don’t like not being liked. And neither do you.

The matter of needing to be liked, and the fear of not being liked becomes harmful when ones identity and sense of worth rests upon it. If the sense of value, worth and of well being is determined by what people think of you, then chances are, you spend a lot of time in self-doubt, discouragement and perhaps depression. The John Lydgate adage is true: “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” Obviously, living life in a pleasing way, with the aim to put others first and to serving them is biblical, but it is contrary to being a Christian to live in fear of not being liked or accepted. You cannot allow your fear of man (fear of not being liked) to dictate how you live and how you think of yourself.

The psalmist in Psalm 139 declares with awe the idea that the sovereign God of creation would choose to take thought of him. 

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you (17-18).

The context of the chapter tells us that the thoughts of which the psalmist writes are thoughts about him in particular, and about God’s people as a whole. They are numerous thoughts (more than the sand), and they are precious thoughts of me. I am ever on His mind, so while awake and while asleep, I am still with you. Simply put. God not only loves, but He likes His people. God likes you! God likes me!

There’s more!

The entire chapter speaks of God’s omniscience and omnipresence, particularly in regards to God’s people. Notice how he describes God’s active role in his development in the womb (Read 13-15). And then, while still yet unformed, every day that man now lives was, before time known and formed specifically for him (Read 16). The Lord is intimately and actively at work in our makeup and has laid out before us the life we would live.

Do you see what the psalmist is proposing? It is remarkable that the Lord, in His mercy chose to place His love upon you, knowing you for who your really are. Equally as remarkable (or perhaps more so) is that from eternity past, He chose you, loved you (Ephesians 1:3), knew you, and predestinated you to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29). In other words, you were created for God’s glory through the love that He abundantly pours out upon you.

If you are in Christ, you are loved. You are liked. And in this reality rests your true identity, your value and your worth. 

Certainly, there will be times of insecurity because of a person’s opinion of you. At times you will wonder where you fit in, or if your life is making a difference. You’ll wonder if you have a purpose. You will experience struggles, failures, defeats, frustrations and self-doubt. The Christian is not exempt from human emotions, and for this you can thank the Lord. God’s grace however, keeps us from allowing these emotions to define us. God’s grace shows His strength in our weakness. God’s grace reminds us that we are in Christ, and…

… in Christ… you are loved! 

… in Christ…  you are liked! 

… inChrist… you are accepted!

Your worth, your identity and your purpose is this, that you have be created for God’s glory. And His glory is manifested in the abundance of His love for you. So the more you revel in God’s love, the more of His glory is revealed in you and through you to the world. I like being liked, don’t you?

—Soli Deo Gloria! (To God Alone Be Glory!)

Filed Under: Blog, Journal, Thinking Out Loud Tagged With: glory of God, identity

The Darkness of the Soul

August 12, 2020 by Poimen

Thinking Out Loud

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. Psalm 139:8-12

The very first time I experienced the starkness of the dark was when Kellie and I first made our way across eastern Wyoming on the way to Hot Springs. Even with headlights on, the darkness on either side of the pickup appeared to be as a black curtain beyond which nothing existed. 

As a shepherd in the middle east, David knew this sort of darkness, perhaps even more so than we. Thus, he wrote the above. But the darkness of which he wrote was likely not the darkness of the night, but rather the darkness of his own soul. You don’t need to read too far into the Psalms to notice that David had very strong emotions, and that often those emotions experienced great sorrow. For example, throughout Psalm 42 David writes, Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? (5, 11)  My soul is cast down within (5), Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? (9)

This darkness of the soul is not unique to David. We call the prophet Jeremiah, “The Weeping Prophet.” The Apostle Paul spoke of being utterly burdened beyond… strength and of despairing of life itself (2 Corinthians 1:8). The Reformer Martin Lutherwas afflicted with a melancholy that threatened to destroy him. The prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon suffered from depression for many years, even in the midst of a thriving ministry. His wife, Susannah Spurgeon wrote, “My beloved’s anguish was so deep and violent, that reason seemed to totter in her throne, and we sometimes feared that he would never preach again.”1 Of course, the prophet Isaiah describes Jesus as a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, My soul is very sorrowful, even to death (Matthew 26:38). This is not to indicate our sorrows to equal that of Jesus, but to point out that Jesus identifies with us in affliction.

Sorrow, affliction, despair, depression… whatever you’d like to call it, is a reality of life in a fallen world, even for a Christian. This is why passages such Psalm 139:8-12 is such an encouragement. Let me make just a couple of observations and then encourage you to look at it yourself.

First, notice that although David spoke of personal emotions, the primary focus of the passage was the Lord, not himself.

Second, notice that David was speaking of the omnipresence of God. Specifically, he spoke of God’s omnipresence in his life (or the life of every person). This is not just in a spacial sense, but in the omnipresence (omniscience) of the whole of who you are (read the entire chapter).

Third, notice that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).

Finally, notice that there is no mention that the darkness that overcomes is ever removed. It may be, in the sense that in God’s presence, His light dispels the darkness (John 1:5)… but maybe not. It doesn’t actually say. What it DOES say is that wherever I may be, even in darkness of soul, your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. Ponder that for a moment… 

The confidence of the psalmist was not that the darkness would be removed, for God’s purposes may be to work in the midst of the darkness rather than in its removal. Because the Lord is omnipresent, the confidence of the psalmist was that He would be with him in the midst of it all… even when it didn’t feel like it.

If you find yourself in a dark place (or before you get there), be encouraged to read and to meditate on Psalm 139 and Psalm 42-43. Read it numerous times, marking it and making notes of what you learn. Also, I found the following articles to be helpful in thinking through these matters from a biblical perspective. 

Did You Know That Charles Spurgeon Struggled with Depression? by Michael Reeves (https://bit.ly/MRonSpurgeon)

Spiritual Depression in the Psalms by John Piper (https://bit.ly/PiperonPsalm42)

Spiritual Depression: The Dark Night of the Soul by R. C. Sproul (https://bit.ly/SproulonDepression)

Honesty About Depression by Heath Lambert (https://bit.ly/LambertonPsalm102)

—Soli Deo Gloria! (To God Alone Be Glory!)

Filed Under: Blog, Journal, Thinking Out Loud Tagged With: darkness, depression, omnipresence

Your Works Matter to God, Romans 2

August 10, 2020 by Isaac Stanley

“Romans Chapter-By-Chapter Series”

“He will render to each one according to his works.” – Roman 2:6

Your works matter to God. By this I mean that they matter to God with absolute objectivity and eternal consequence. We usually don’t evaluate behavior that way. We expect our children to behave, but we understand that they won’t all the time. Or we like our friends for their positive qualities but understand that they have some character flaws too. Or we overlook our own flaws but don’t consider them to be detrimental. “Everyone’s got some quirks,” we might say, “nobody’s perfect, not even me.”

God is not that way. He’s never overlooked anything. He has no quirks. He is, in fact, perfect.

Romans 2:5 predicts a future time when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. On that day “He will render to each one according to his works” (2:6). As judge, God will rule with perfect justice and with perfect knowledge. Even our words are recorded and will be brought as evidence (Matthew 12:36).

Let’s bring this truth closer. Note today’s date, the day you are reading this article. You have performed works, good and evil, TODAY that will appear before God on the day of his judgment. Nothing will slip by.

Paul’s purpose in Romans 2 is to expound the reality that God’s judgment will be impartial. There are no “privileged” people in God’s court. None who have bribed the judge. None with any blackmail leverage. None who run in His social circles. Verse 11 says, “God shows no partiality.”

The Jews of Paul’s day often thought that they were privileged. They stood in arrogant judgment against the Gentile people who lived around and among them. Their self-identity was wrapped up in their Jewish heritage. They relied on the law and boasted in God (2:17). They considered themselves to be “a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, and instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children” (2:19-20). Observe how these phrases set their perception of themselves up against their perception of others. Jews: guides, light, instructors, teacher – God’s chosen people. Gentiles: blind, darkness, foolish, children – stupid pagans.

The Jews had one, little problem: God shows no partiality.

True, the Jews were God’s chosen people, but Abraham’s DNA got them exactly NOWHERE before God. They had a good heritage, but their works damned them! God has never been bamboozled by ethnicity. He has no favorites. He’s never winked His eye at the sin of his friends. “You have no excuse, O man,” Paul says to those exalted Jews, “For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things” (2:1).

God doesn’t prioritize your ETHNICITY! For that matter, He isn’t impressed by your RELIGION either! While the Jews boasted in their heritage and in their religious behavior, they dishonored God and damaged His reputation because of their terrible behavior (2:23-24). The sign of their covenant was circumcision. Their bodies were literally different than the nations around them, but their hearts – and the behavior that came out of those hearts – were no different.

God, through Paul’s pen, exposes the problem before displaying the solution. True “circumcision” happens at the heart level (2:28-29). Outward religion and outward identity cannot save anyone from God’s wrath against sin. Cutting off a bit of skin is no substitute for carving the rottenness right out of the heart. Our works will condemn us is the day of God’s judgment unless something changes on the inside.

How is this to happen? Who can perform this spiritual heart surgery? Who can save us from God’s wrath against our works?

Let me assure you that you can’t do it yourself. Rambo may be able to sew his own stitches, but he can’t do heart surgery on himself. All sinners need inner transformation and verse 29 tells us “circumcision is a matter of the heart, BY THE SPIRIT.” God is the rescuer.

This is stunning! The beginning of Romans 2 taught us that our problem is God’s wrath against our works. We need to be saved from God. By the end of chapter 2, God Himself is the rescuer!

Filed Under: Blog, Journal, Romans Chapter by Chapter Tagged With: gospel, works

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

August 5, 2020 by Poimen

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

After reading Psalm 139 with a brother this morning and pondering its truths I once again am amazed at the kindness of our God. The psalmist makes five bold claims about the Lord’s relationship with His people and its compelling call to seek Him. You can read the entire chapter on your own.

The Lord knows me…

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!… Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 

The Lord really KNOWS me. He knows my ups and my downs, my deep thoughts, my course of life and where I find my rest. He knows not only my works, He knows my ways. He knows altogether even before a word is on my tongue (I wish sometimes He would stop me from saying it before I got myself into trouble). He keeps me close beside Him and with a gentle hand on my shoulder, He not only directs my steps, He assures me of His presence. The Lord really knows me.

The Lord surrounds me…

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?… If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 

There is not a single place in all of creation where I can escape the Lord’s presence. This is a dreadful thought for the wicked, but not for the righteous. The righteous are assured that the Lord is ever there to lead by the hand through the course of life and to provide security in His right hand. When entering into the unknown and when living in uncertain times, I am assured that these dark times are not dark at all to the God of light.

The Lord formed me…

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb… Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 

The Lord is the giver of life and is its architect. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Moreover, He has established and knows my days. Before the substance of my being came into existence the days of my life were already established. In His providence He set into motion all the affairs of my life. Nothing that I face catches the Lord by surprise.

The Lord considers me…

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. 

The sovereign God of creation who sustains all things, takes thought of me. But not just a passing thought. His thoughts toward me are so vast, it is beyond measure, more than the sand. They are loving thoughts for my good, and I can be assured that He works for His glory and for my benefit.

The Lord searches me…

Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.… I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

The preoccupation with the world system blinds the me from the goodness of God. It robs me of the confidence and security that comes from being God’s own possession. 

In contrast, a steadfast gaze upon the Lord sets the world in true perspective. It gives to me a healthy hatred toward the things that oppose God and brings about a yearning for a release from its clutches. Meditating upon the things of God evokes the longing to rid myself from any and all that detracts from the view of God and that is grievous in His sight. 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.

—Soli Deo Gloria! (To God Alone Be Glory!)

Filed Under: Blog, Journal, Thinking Out Loud Tagged With: assurance, security

To Mask or Not to Mask… That is NOT the Question

July 29, 2020 by Poimen

Thinking Out Loud

A recent conversation brought to light that some believers find it necessary to “mask shame” those who wear face masks in public places, even to the point of name calling. That bit of information has been at the forefront of my mind and heart ever since. A brief chat this morning added further that “mask shaming” sometimes comes through unintentional but thoughtless remarks. And then, sometimes opinionated comments posted on social media the night before makes for awkward conversations the next day.

Of course, this is contrasted by “non-mask shaming” in return (I just made up that term). Questioning ones character, challenging the genuineness of their love as well as their intelligence because they are non-mask wearers. And then, it wouldn’t be complete until some meme or some article is posted with the intent of ridiculing all the crazy people out there.

This grieves my heart… and as a Christian, it ought to grieve yours as well. To be perfectly honest, it actually just frustrates the living daylights out of me. Obviously the scriptures make no mention of wearing masks or not wearing masks, but it does address the matter in principle.

Three portions of scripture come to mind when I think on these things, 1 Corinthians 8 and 10, and Romans 14. Each deal with, among other things, dietary practices that were neither right or wrong. That is, the particular matter causing division was not an issue of sin. It was more a matter of conscience than anything else. You can and should read each passage yourself. But let’s briefly touch on a few things Paul brings out, using Romans 14 as our source.

First, we are to welcome one another, but not to quarrel over opinions (1). The emphasis: Our union in Christ trumps our personal opinions… (period) (vs.1)

Second, we are not to despise the other because, who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another (the Lord being His master)? (vss. 4, 10-12)

Third, whichever side of the issue we fall, we are to be fully convinced in [our] own mind doing it in honor of the Lord (vs. 5-9)

Fourth, we are to pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Simply put, you are to pursue the good of the other before yourself (19-23).

Finally, we are to remember that the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men (17).

We barely scratched the surface of the passage, so I STRONGLY encourage you to take some time to read through Romans 14 thoughtfully and prayerfully, and with the desire for the Lord to do a work in you.

Essentially, the Bible teaches us to keep the main thing the main thing. It warns against becoming distracted by non-issues. We are in spiritual warfare together, and unless we walk circumspectly, we will be entangled with the affairs of this world (matters with no eternal significance)… we will be entangled with face masks. In turn we lose sight of our brothers in Christ. We lose sight of the mission set before us.

If you wear a face mask, wear it unapologetically, with the conviction that by God’s grace you are behaving in the most prudent and gracious way before men and before the Lord. Guard your mind and your heart with regards to those who don’t wear a face mask. Be gracious in your heart toward them (Ephesians 4:2).

If you do not wear a face mask, do so with meekness and grace as to the Lord. And do it without ignorant presumption of His protective care. Guard your lips. In love, carry a face mask with you and put it on when necessary for the sake of others. Do this, not because you have to, but in order to serve others before yourself (Philippians 2:4).

If your brother or sister has offended you, graciously speak to them about it. Don’t assume that they should know better if you have not pointed it out to them. If you are approached because you have offended someone, humbly keep your heart in check, pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding and be reconciled (that’s almost biblical) (Romans 14:19; Matthew 5:23-24). 

Remember, the union with Christ you share with one another and the loving unity realized in the Spirit is infinitely more the main thing than any opinion you may hold regarding the Corona Virus and wearing a face mask.

Soli Deo Gloria! (To God Alone Be Glory!)

Filed Under: Blog, Journal, Thinking Out Loud Tagged With: conscience, Covid-19, love

Worship Together

July 25, 2020 by Poimen

with the desire to worship together… even when we’re apart

Good morning Calvary Church Family! Here are a few links that might be a help you in your time of worship this morning and throughout the week.

Music

Isaac put together a playlist of music that you can watch and sing along. Of course, there are many selections from which you can choose on YouTube, but be encouraged to be selective in your choices. Listen to the lyrics to be certain the music is teaching biblical truth and not merely christianized humanism. Music is a powerful medium God has provided for our enjoyment and His glory. Use it wisely.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb7h2q-xTYuXE88oyv6robrGVaNtbhUU_

Study

Our weekly study in the book of Romans has been a refreshment for the soul. This week will be in chapter 11, a chapter  designed to humble us as we see why God has chosen to save us. Make the effort to join us at 8:30 via Zoom. If you would like to join us, please can contact us for the details needed to do so.

Just a note…

You can access the entire Zoom study of Romans on our YouTube channel. Go to YouTube.com and type in the search Calvary Hot Springs.

Sermon

Our weekly sermons are pre-recorded and uploaded in time for you to view it on Sunday mornings. They are usually available at 6:00 Sunday mornings. Again, you can use the method just previously noted or use this link… https://www.youtube.com/feed/my_videos
This week our study is in 2 Corinthians 2:12-17, where Paul discusses the Triumphal Procession the Lord allows the believer to enjoy.

Giving

Thank you for your faithfulness in giving. Here are three ways you can give…

  • You can mail it: PO Box 957, Hot Springs, SD 577472
  • You can drop it by the office
  • You can give online using this link… https://secure.subsplash.com/ui/access/KGNPW5#/

We continue to meet in person each week, and although it’s been sweet to be with one another, there is still a sense of an incomplete gathering. We miss being with the church as a whole, but look forward to maybe one day. But even if you are unable to join us corporately, you can still be in contact with individual members for the sake of encouragement and edification. I trust that you will.

Because of Calvary,

Pastor Matt

Filed Under: Blog, Journal, Worship Tagged With: Covid-19, worship

God’s Promises are Yes in Christ

July 15, 2020 by Poimen

Thinking Out Loud

In the providence of God’s mercy, He subjected Himself to the welfare of the rebels who turned from and rejected Him. He did so of His own volition apart from any act on the part of mankind. By His mercy, He entered into a divine covenant with man, all conditions being met by the son of man, God’s Son, Jesus Christ. This covenant comprehensively recreates man’s existence and gives him life. It includes forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, adoption, new birth, new heart, new spirit, the dwelling of the Holy Spirit, love for God, love and acceptance by God. Salvation is comprehensive and changes the whole of man.

At the heart of God’s redemption is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the new covenant we’ve been brought into. There is nothing that can be realized in man’s redemption apart from Jesus Christ. Any gospel that conveys life apart from Christ is not the true gospel. It is not the gospel (good news) at all.

Because of this, the assurance and the security of the believer rests in Jesus… period. All the promises of God find their Yes in [Christ] (2 Corinthians 1:20). The Christian does not find his assurance and his security for salvation based on his feelings, nor from his behavior (good or bad). Assurance and security for eternal life does not come from being able to remember a time you “said a prayer,” “walked an aisle,” or “entered into a baptismal tank.” 

The believer’s hope rests in the promises of God that find their Yes in [Christ]. His indwelling Spirit then establishes us… in Christ, anoints us, and… puts his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (2 Corinthians 1:21).

Thanks be to God for the unchanging promises of His covenant in midst of uncertain times.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Filed Under: Blog, Journal, Thinking Out Loud Tagged With: assurance, promise, security, thinking out loud

The Power of God unto Salvation, Romans 1:16

July 13, 2020 by Isaac Stanley

“Romans Chapter-By Chapter” Series

“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.” – Romans 1:16

Have you ever heard of the “Romans Road”? It’s a method of using a series of verses from the book of Romans to communicate the gospel to an unbeliever. The Romans Road is a useful evangelism tool. I remember as a teenager having the trail of verses linked together in my Bible and teaching others how to use the tool. It’s a valid and valuable way to explain the basics of salvation. However, Paul did not write the book of Romans primarily to address and persuade unbelievers. Rather, he wrote it to encourage and strengthen those who already believed. Which brings up a powerful point: The gospel is for believers! Yes, it’s for unbelievers, but no one ever outgrows their need to hear the gospel. The good news of the gospel provides eternal life and it also powers godly living. 

In the introduction of Romans, chapter 1:1-17, Paul writes, “to all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints” (Romans 1:7). The Bible teaches us that every person who has been born again is a “saint” and saints were Paul’s target audience. The verses continue on to commend the church in Rome for their godly testimony and express Paul’s heartfelt desire to be physically present with the saints and “be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Romans 1:12). This love for the faithful, roman saints, combined with Paul’s lifetime passion to preach to people of all nations causes him to express, “I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” (Romans 1:15). Paul could not be clearer that even those who are already saved, and even faithfully walking with God, need to continue to hear the gospel. 

Why? Why is the gospel so important beyond salvation? Why does someone who is already saved need to hear the gospel? Why would Paul write the greatest epistle on the gospel to saved people? 

These are trick questions. Notice I used words like “salvation” and “saved” in the questions above. Nobody who is breathing is “beyond salvation.” Most of the time in Christianity when we say someone is “saved” we are looking backward to the moment when they initially trusted in Jesus and became a Christian. We see salvation as something in the past for Christians. However, in the Bible there are many uses of “saved” or “salvation.” There are three “tenses” of salvation from sin. Salvation has past, present, and future uses. Look at Ephesians 2:8, “For by grave you HAVE BEEN SAVED through faith.” This verse refers to what we commonly think of as “getting saved.” This salvation is associated with justification. It’s the salvation that takes a sinner who is an enemy of God and, in a moment, transforms him into a friend of God. Justification pardons a sinner and makes him righteous in God’s eyes. This is the past tense (for believers) of salvation. 

In addition to the past, there is a present tense of salvation. “I would remind you,” Paul says to the Christian brothers in 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, “of the gospel I preached to you, which you have received, in which you stand, and by which you ARE BEING SAVED.” I don’t know about you, but I am not perfect. God has saved me from my sin, but I still sin daily. However, God has provided salvation from that sin as well. Sanctification is the lifelong work of God making His saints more holy in their day-to-day lives. In fact, sanctification, saints, and holy are all related words in the Bible. So, we could restate the underlined sentence with a made-up word, Holy-fication is the lifelong work of God making His holy people more holy in their day-to-day lives. This sanctification happens by God’s power through His word. “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). This is the present tense of salvation. 

There is yet one more tense, and that is the future tense of salvation. Observe Romans 5:9, “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more SHALL WE BE SAVED by him from the wrath of God.” Believers in Christ will never face the wrath of God. They will be saved from it! Instead of wrath, they will enter eternal life with God (Romans 2:7). Heavenly salvation is yet to come and is often called glorification. Romans 8:30 guarantees that everyone who is justified is also glorified! When we are glorified in heaven (in the future), our behavior (our present sanctification) will match our righteous standing before God (past justification). This is the future tense of salvation. In these three ways, all saints are saved, being saved, and will be saved. 

Back to Romans 1:16. Paul explains that the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” The gospel does not simply punch our ticket to heaven and leave us to our own devices. Rather, the gospel is what powers the Christian life from the point of conversion all the way to glory!  

We face eternity in our future. Eternity is often ignored, but it’s a BIG DEAL! Think about it: this life is short compared to eternity. Scripture calls it a vapor (James 4:14). We all know how long vapor lasts but eternity is forever. Eternity would be a frightening concept if it were unknown. But Scripture does not leave us blind to eternity. If you believe, you can be 100% confident that God’s power, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, will take you all the way to glory because the GOSPEL is the power of God unto salvation!

*Note: In case you’re curious about the Romans Road, the series is: Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9, 10:13, 5:1, 8:38-39. You might find it useful to use this tool by simply writing the next reference in the chain before each verse (i.e. Mark Romans 3:23 as “Romans Road” and then write “6:23” to begin the trail to the next verse.

Filed Under: Blog, Journal, Romans Chapter by Chapter Tagged With: gospel, romansCbyC, salvation

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