Thursday, May 23, 2013

My Stone Heart


My Stone Heart

Inspired by:
“And though my hard heart scarce to thee can grone, remember that thou once didst write on stone.”
-        George Herbert
Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” NIV

Long ago, you formed my inner being.
You gave me this heart that drives me.
You made it with a divine purpose,
So that it is only satisfied when it follows your ways.

How can I question your ways?
For You have made all of this.
Is there anyone more qualified
To direct my heart in the way it should go?

But not only have I questioned,
I’ve turned completely away.
What is supposed to follow only You,
I have made a servant of me.

Now what is should be warm
And full of the light of Your truth,
Has become a cold, hard, and dark
Lump of stone within me.

What is supposed to be there
Has been covered up,
Layer upon layer of solid stone.
No longer is my heart recognizable.

Then You reveal your truth to me.
That the only way to live
Is to live a life according to Your Law
To worship only you, my creator.

But woe is me, I am unable.
All of these layers I have built up
Keep me from acting on the truth.
Keep me centered on myself.

My reality brings despair:
To live, I must do what I cannot.
I cannot live the way I am told.
What will become of me?

I cry out to my God.
I am full of sin and iniquity.
Save me, you must.
No one else is able.

And He answers my call,
By becoming one of us.
He faces all that I do,
But His heart is nothing like stone.

If anyone ever deserved to live,
It is the Christ. He did all that was right.
But instead, He gave Himself up,
For me, and my stone heart.

The Sacrifice of the one who,
Without blemish, did right,
Is the price for myself,
Who only did wrong.

Now God has provided the way
So that I may live;
Live according to the truth.
And have a life that reflects my purpose.

Through my faith in this truth,
That God had to provide the way,
The blood of Christ pours over my stone heart,
And inscribes His law on it.

Now through this inscription,
I have become able.
Able to serve the one God,
My creator, and my redeemer.

Now I live my life
According to His truth.
Full of thankfulness
For what He did to my stone heart.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Romans 1:8-15 : Humility in Ministry


I decided not to comment on all of this passage because I wanted it to be shorter, less boring, and more focused than my previous post.

Romans 1:8-15 - NIV
            8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
            11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong - 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13  I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
            14 I am obligated both to Greek and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

Paul continues his introduction by addressing his audience more intimately. He expresses the desire he has to visit Rome and to have fellowship with the believers there. The meaning of Paul’s words is clear and straightforward. This passage is not an argument to discern but Paul honestly addressing his readers. However, in the second half of the introduction, Paul reveals much about the nature of ministry that is helpful to readers today.
Verses 11 and 12 reveal some of Paul’s ideology of ministry. He seeks to visit Rome in order to impart a spiritual gift on the believers there. Paul explains what he means by saying, “that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” It is easy to imagine the apostle Paul coming to a city and giving great teaching and providing spiritual encouragement to the community of believers there. This is what Paul has been doing since his transformation. He has become a great missionary to many towns and peoples, sharing the gospel and encouraging the believers there in their faith. Many examples of this are seen throughout the letters Paul wrote that make up much of the epistles in the New Testament.
However, Paul shows his humility when he says the reason for his desire to see the Romans is so that they might be mutually encouraged. While one might look at Paul and think of a great minister who is beyond encouragement from oneself because of all the great things he has done. But Paul tells just the opposite story. One might think that Paul would be encouraged just because of seeing the fruits of his ministry, but that is not the case. He seeks to fellowship with the believers in Rome not so he can see the works of his own hands, but so that he can see the works of God’s hands.
Verse 8 reveals Paul’s mindset of ministry. He thanks God through Jesus Christ for the faith of the Romans. Paul does not believe that their faith has anything to do with his work, but relies solely on the work God in the lives of his people. It is for this reason that Paul would be encouraged by being with the Romans. He would see yet another result of the love and work of God.
It is wise to adopt Paul’s mindset as our own in today’s Christianity. Too often there is praise to individuals for their efforts in ministry. We as people can never bring any change to a person’s life. Change is only a result of God working in a person’s heart through the Holy Spirit. While one should be encouraged for their service to the Lord, the congratulations should never be offered to them, but only to the one who did the work.
While it might be rare that one will give the credit of ministry to someone else instead of God, it is common that an individual will give the credit to themselves. This may not be intentional, but a result of selfishness. As Christians, we should always be examining our heart when ministering to others. Are we secretly giving the credit to ourselves? We must be intentional about adopting the humility that Paul displays in this passage. Let us encourage one another in our faith and faithfulness to service, but let us always be giving the honor and thanks to the one that accomplishes the work.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Romans 1:1-7


I am beginning to realize that this blog will be less like a blog and more like a bunch of papers on the Bible. So readers beware, this could be a little boring for you. But if you would like to continue reading, I would greatly appreciate hearing your thoughts. You can comment below, on the Facebook post, or by email at jason.romans.5.5@gmail.com. If you are reading along, I would strongly encourage you to read the chapter being discussed in its entirety before reading this. Context is always a good idea when studying the bible. 
I finished my own study of Romans a couple of months ago. It had been in progress for almost six months. I spent most of the study reading the Pillar New Testament Commentary by Leon Morris. Because of this, many of my thoughts and understanding of the book have been influenced by Morris’ writings. I have some notes from which I can cite directly, but inevitably many of his thoughts have become intertwined with mine. Nevertheless, I would still very much like to compile all of what I have learned into some organized writings of my own, and hopefully learn some more along the way. One day I would love to add all sorts of supporting references and cite scholarly work to add to the information I have. But for now, this will do.
I decided to start with Romans because I felt the most comfortable with it. After starting it though, I've begun to realize how hard this might be. I never planned on typing this much on just the first seven verses, but it happened. I hope to get further into the book very soon, when things really start getting interesting. I thought about skipping to a section I knew more about and am more excited to write on, but soon I started learning a lot by just looking at the beginning of the book. As you can see, there are a lot of thoughts put together into just a few sentences. I've done my best to comment on all of the aspects of them. I've included the passage in its entirety at the beginning, and any segment taking directly from the passage remains in italics in my comments.

The book of Romans is a letter, written by the apostle Paul, to the believers of Rome. The letter is intended to be read all at once. Paul explains his view of the gospel and its implications on the Christian life by progressing through a series of questions and answers. Each part of the letter relies on the previous parts for its complete understanding, as well as influences the understanding of the latter parts. It is with this in mind that a study of Romans can occur. The purpose of breaking apart the passages is to separate the progression of Paul’s arguments and understand each one more.

Romans 1:1-7 - NIV
           1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God - 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name's sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
            7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

            Paul begins his letter by introducing himself and who he is writing to. It’s telling that in his introduction, Paul seems to almost get distracted by describing the gospel instead of introducing himself. As stated in the latter part of the introduction, Paul has not yet been to Rome or met many of the people he is addressing his letter to. Paul has become well known for his ministry, evidenced by his persecution across the near east. However, because Paul has not met with the Christians of Rome, he does not have the authority of a leader to them. Through this introduction, Paul seeks to put himself in a position of respect and authority so that the reader will listen to the words God is speaking through him. Morris(see introduction) comments that letters of this time period would typically begin with a statement of the position that the writer is in, with the intent of establishing the authority of the letter (I will cite Morris’ commentary whenever I unpack it from my car). Paul’s introduction is shaped this way so that it is received with authority to the citizens of Rome. For readers today, it is known that the authority of Paul’s writing is supreme because of it being fully inspired by God and inerrant because of its place in scripture.
Much can be learned about the ministry of Paul, the letter he has written, and the gospel of God from this introduction. While they may have never met him, the apostle’s authority is clear to his readers from his understanding and presentation of the gospel so eloquently stated in these first few sentences.
Paul first introduces the gospel as “promised beforehand through his prophets.” Paul is referring to all the anticipations of the Messiah given throughout the Old Testament. A full understanding and notation of these anticipations throughout scriptures is way beyond this writing, and most other writings as well. However, it would be best to briefly explain how the coming of the Messiah had been prophesied throughout the Old Testament.
The prophet Isaiah has many messianic prophecies throughout his book. The 12 verses of Isaiah 53 are well known prophecies about the Messiah. They proclaim that the Messiah will face intense suffering. The suffering of the Messiah is in place of the suffering meant for the people of God. It will be through that suffering that the people of God are healed. This chapter is rich with imagery and adds greatly to an understanding of the cross and the justification of God’s people, as well as being one of many prophecies about the Messiah in the book of Isaiah.
Jeremiah’s ministry as a prophet also has many Messianic anticipations. The most notable of these prophecies occur in chapters 23:5-6 and 33:15-16. Here God, through Jeremiah, declares that he will raise up a “righteous branch” to be the leader of his people. The Messiah will be king and rule justly over the people of his kingdom. The prophecy also declares that the Messiah will bring safety to Jerusalem and Judah. Many of the Jewish people at the time of Christ believed that these prophecies meant that the Messiah would deliver them from the rule of Rome to establish his own kingdom. While Christ did establish his own kingdom, it was not the kingdom the Jews were looking for.
These are only two of the many Messianic prophecies that Paul has in mind at the beginning of his letter.  Paul is making the point that Jesus is the Messiah and has fulfilled all of these prophecies. While Jesus did not lead a rebellion to liberate Jerusalem and establish his own earthly kingdom, he did come and establish the kingdom of heaven; of which all who believe Jesus is the Messiah have access to. For Christians today, the prophecies of the Messiah and their fulfillment are some of the biggest ways unity between the Old and New Testaments can be seen. It is important to study these prophecies to fully understand the ministry and significance of many of Jesus’ actions.
Paul continues by saying that Jesus is a descendant of David. Here Paul is once again pointing his readers back to the Old Testament, and the promises given by God to his people. Not only has Christ fulfilled the prophecies given by the prophets, but he also fulfills the covenant made with David, in which God said he would always have a descendant on the throne (2 Sam 7:16).  Jesus is a descendent of David (Matt. 1:6-16). Because of his eternal nature, Jesus will reign eternally. Thus, the covenant with David is fulfilled.
In verse 4, Paul continues on to explain the authority and power of Christ, given through the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ resurrection is the evidence of his divine authority. It is because of his authority that Jesus is rightfully our Lord. Paul continues on to say that Jesus is the one who has sent Paul and the other apostles out to the gentiles. And it is with this statement that Paul finishes his introduction and establishes his authority to have written this letter. Paul has been sent by Jesus the Messiah, whom the scriptures anticipate greatly, and who has all authority over man. What greater introduction does one need than to be sent by the Messiah? While these first few verses have discussed various topics pertaining to Christ, because of Paul using it to establish authority, it also tells the reader that this letter is something to be read and adhered to.
In verse 5, Paul explains that the apostles have been sent to call the gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. This statement introduces much of what Paul will continue to discuss throughout this letter. It seems that it would be more likely for Paul to just say “call the gentiles to faith”, but he instead adds “obedience that comes from faith.” It’s very specific, and a little peculiar. Paul is placing emphasis on the behaviors that come as a result of faith. This distinction emphasizes that Paul’s ministry aims at changing the way people live, rather than just telling them truths. For Paul, it is not enough to bring someone to faith. He wants people to live a way that reflects their faith; this way of living is to be obedient to God because of the faith one has.
While more of what Paul means by “obedience” is explained later, there is much to be learned just from this sentence. There seems to be little emphasis on obedience and more emphasis on faith in modern Christianity. This is why a careful study of Romans is important. Paul lays out the way a Christian is to live, and why they live that way. The Christian life does not end when one comes to faith, but continues on through believers actions. Christians do have forgiveness because of the work of Christ, but we also have responsibility because of the work of Christ. He has given us the power to overcome our slavery to disobedience, and live a life of obedience to God’s commands. This brief mention of obedience in the introduction serves as a warm up to the things that are coming throughout the letter.
Verses 6 and 7 specify the audience of the letter. In these verses, Paul emphasizes that Christians are called to belong to Jesus Christ, loved by God, are holy people. In these two verses, Paul asserts several things about Christians. First, that they are called by God; that is, they come to know him because of Christ, not because of themselves.  Second, that Christians are to be set apart by God to be holy, or pure. And third, it is only through the love of God that one is called, and made able to be holy.
Much can be learned about the ministry of Paul, the letter he has written, and the gospel of God from the introduction in the letter to the Romans. Paul establishes his authority and gives a glimpse at the things which he has written. He proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah, who fulfills the promises of God given to his people, and has authority over his kingdom to send out apostles to bring those called to himself.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

An Introduction

     I did more writing these past few weeks for classes then I've ever done. And the strangest thing happened. I enjoyed it. And some might even say I'm somewhat decent at it. So one day I was contemplating this very unusual thought, and the idea of publishing a blog came to mind.
     Today's my first full day of summer break. I've been looking forward to today for quite some time now. This past semester has been a long one, but I have also learned a lot. It's been very challenging, but also quite rewarding. There are a few things that I wish were different, but really there's only one thing I have a valid complaint about: the schoolwork kept me from my own studies. I was able to finish a study on the book of Romans, which was an incredible learning experience. But other than that, I've been limited to mostly just reading. I have been reading quite a lot of the Old Testament. The last few weeks I've been reading through Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. I've been finding some great stuff. Passages that I really want to explore more in depth. I wrote a lot of them down on a notecard with the idea, "I'm going to study this later." And now it's later.
     I've decided to blog because writing helps me organize my thoughts. And if I'm going to be writing, people might as well read it. So I hope to post 3-4 times a week on whatever it is I end up studying. Most likely on passages from Romans and Jeremiah. I hope that the blog will serve as some accountability for me to keep up the studies, and again, to help me organize my thoughts and learn more.
     I would greatly appreciate anyone commenting or discussing things discussed, or just saying that you read it. Both will encourage me to keep up the studying.

Also, I promise to try to use less contractions and starting sentences with "and" in the future posts.