THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

This program of Scripture studies is designed to help you in daily honoring God with adoration through Bible study.

We have a great friend in Gary Godard.
He has set up an archive page.
To view ALL the prior Scripture studies by book and chapter, just clik

HERE.

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now available in hard copy for $17.50.
(Smaller books are only $9:50)
Just mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to:

Bruce McGee
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TODAY'S SCRIPTURE STUDY
ROMANS

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

But PRAISE GOD! There IS a "law of the Spirit of life!"
It is "IN Christ Jesus!"

When a person surrenders to Christ, that person is "FREE from the law of sin and death," and begins to EXPERIENCE,
the law of "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus!" (See John 1:12)

Surrender to Christ gives a person freedom from "condemnation" through the means of SALVATION!
The same Person holds BOTH in His hands! JESUS!

The "new creature" in Christ (2Corinthians 5:17) begins to live "after the Spirit" of God!

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The "law", in itself is GOOD! (See Romans 7:7-11)
It comes from God and is PERFECT!

But the "law ... was weak through the flesh..."
Man cannot LIVE by the law! He is a SINNER!

Therefore, the ULTIMATE plan of God was the law of LIFE IN Christ Jesus!
He IS Life! (See John 1:4)

The Son of God, Jesus, had NO sin in the flesh!
And, when God caused Jesus to be sacrificed for our sins, He "condemned sin in the flesh."
The RIGHTEOUS died for the UNrighteous!
The forgiveness and salvation of God are manifested in the death of Christ on the cross. (See Romans 5:8)

Jesus died for ALL MEN'S sin!
And, He died for sin to be CONDEMNED!
But, He also died that those who surrender to Him might be SAVED! (John 3:16)

The union of believers to Christ is that of a branch to the vine. (See John 15:1-6)
In that union, Jesus Himself delivers the sap, or God's Holy Spirit to the branches.

Therefore, they can LIVE "after the Spirit."
And, the "righteousness of the law is fulfilled", or exemplified, in those who live in obedience to God's law.

The law of God is not negated because a person is saved!
Only the "condemnation" of the law is negated through salvation in Christ.

The law of God is enhanced in the believer's heart, because it has NEW MEANING when one is saved!
And the new creature in Christ begins to desire living according to God's will, which is expressed in His law.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

People who are not saved live "after the flesh", or live to please self.
People who are saved live "after the Spirit", or seek to please God.

To live desiring only to please self is "DEATH! (vs 6 above)
To live desiring to please God is "life AND peace!"

Also, to live satisfying self is "enmity against God", or WAR against God!
WOW!

Those who live only to please self "cannot please God" in anything they do; because,
they are not "subject" (surrendered to) "the law of God."

In order to please God, a person must first be washed in the blood (See Revelation 1:5), and sealed in the Spirit (See Ephesians 1:13).

Without surrender to Christ, there IS NO salvation!
Without salvation there is no PLEASING God!

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

PRAISE GOD! When a person is saved, they fall under the direct influence of God's Holy Spirit.
Thus they "crucify" the flesh, and live by God's Spirit. (See Galatians 2:20)

The person you were BEFORE becoming a Christian has died to self, and
been risen again by the power of Christ to live a NEW WAY of life -- that of following His Spirit!

This does not mean a Christian is perfect!
You will still be selfish at times, because our sin nature isn't totally eradicated.

However, the new set of desires (by God's Holy Spirit) will influence the Christian to try and live under His direction.

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Once a person surrenders to Christ, and God's Holy Spirit begins to dwell in them;
the power which "raised up Christ from the dead" lives in the Christian!!

That power "quicken(s)", or MAKES ALIVE the Christian.
He/she is made alive TO Christ and FOR Christ! (See John 14:19)

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Those who are "led by the Spirit of God" ARE "the sons of God."
They are born again, and adopted into the family of God through the blood of Christ!

As such, they will not seek only to please self, but will have the goal always of living to please God.

This negates the age-old heretic thought that because one is saved, and never can be lost again, he/she can sin as much as they want, and only confess to God and be cleared.
If one has THAT desire, then they never have been truly born again!!

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

But we are not given to "fear" of the suffering.
We are given to the "adoption" of Christ into the family of God!

The word "Abba" means "Daddy" or "Dear".
Because Christians are adopted into the family of God (John 1:12), they have the right to CALL upon God at ANY time as a child would his father!

Having been made "sons of God," Christians are "joint-heirs with Christ!
That means they are privy to access the Father by Him! (See Hebrews 4:16, and Hebrews 13:6)

Yes, we will suffer.
Just because we are saved, we are not exempt from the suffering of the world.
But, we are not to FEAR the suffering.
We are to live with the realization of the close proximity to God our Father, and to know that He will overcome ALL suffering!

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

NOTHING can compare with the "glory" Christians shall receive at the final day!!
CERTAINLY NOT sufferings!

Just think of the duration of sufferings today: ONLY as long as we live on this earth!
But think of the duration of the glory we shall have in God's presence: FOREVER!!

And in that forever, there will be no "death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain..." (Rev. 21:4)
NO MORE SUFFERING!!

19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

The word "creature" above is translated from the Greek word ktisis.
That word can mean creature, creation, or building.
Therefore, it might (in this passage) refer to man, all creation, or the church.

MAN
The "creature" -- the NEW creation by surrender to Christ earnestly desires the time he/she will be with God eternally.
The Christian lives from day-to-day because it is the will of God for this moment.
But, his/her heart YEARNS for THAT day!
He/she is "made subject" to suffering.
But has been "subjected" to that suffering with HOPE!

CREATION The "creature" -- the universe anxiously looks forward to the day when God will "make all things new!" (Rev. 21:5)
In fact the universe is groaning under the sinfulness man has caused.
The creation is "made subject" to suffering by man's sin.
But, it is made subject in HOPE!
And, is anxiously awaiting the pristene holiness of God!

CHURCH The entire "body of Christ" yearns for the soon return of our Lord Jesus.

However, the saved, the universe and the church AWAIT!
We await anxiously, but we await: until HE deems the time is perfect in His plan!

When God makes all things new, then suffering will CEASE!
Then, the saved, the creation, and the church will have "glorious liberty!"

This intense yearning should cause all Christians to cry "Even so, come Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 22:20)
Come to the lost! And bring them to salvation!
Come to the saved! And comfort and keep them!
Come to the world! And let all know Who is Lord!
Come and let "every knee ... bow, and every tongue ... confess that Jesus Christ is LORD!" (Philippians 2:11)

22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

THIS is our HOPE -- That Christ will soon come revealing truth to all, and restoring all to truth!

This hope is SURE and SECURE!
Because it is revealed in the Person of Christ Whom no man can refute!
He WAS born into the world;
He LIVED a perfect life;
He was CRUCIFIED for our sins;
He was RISEN from the grave;
He has risen to GLORY;
And, He WILL COME again to bring all the sons of God with Him to glory!

Christians have the "firstfruits" of the Spirit of God.
He calls us to KNOW redemption, LIVE in obedience to Christ, and TELL others of His marvelous grace.
He calls us to study the Bible, pray, attend church, be involved in ministry to others.
He convicts us when we sin, and calls us to confession and repentance.
He inspires us to help others come to know Christ, and to teach them how to know Him more.

And, we YEARN for the FULL adoption!
We yearn for when He shall make our bodies full new to sin no more!!

26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

As people who are confined in earthly flesh, we have "infirmities", sickness, weakness, frailties.
And, sometimes (in fact most times) we don't know how to pray correctly concerning those infirmities.
That's because we aren't able to see full the complex nature of the matter.

But, as Christians, we have the benefit of God's Holy Spirit KNOWING our problems!
And, He, IMMEDIEATELY - INSTANTANEOUSLY can communicate that to the Father with the fullness of all complexities!

God is always searching our hearts, and he hears the "intercession" of His Spirit for our wellbeing.

Therefore, even though Christians suffer in this world, they have a special information channel with God!
And, He (God's Holy Spirit) communicates FOR us when we don't know how to pray correctly!

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

But, it can be said that all things work together for good "to them that love God!"
As will be shown in the next 2 verses, God knows EVERYTHING before it happens!

This being so, the question has been asked, "Why does God allow BAD things to happen to GOOD people?"
First, let understand that the premise of that question is very flawed.
There ARE no "good people!"
We are ALL sinners ALL the time!

But God IS good!
And, He can take your circumstances and make them turn out for your benefit!
He KNEW beforehand that you would have the difficulty that you have.
And, He has a PLAN to help you THROUGH it, and educate you BECAUSE of it!

Because He is ALWAYS working things out for the GOOD of His people!
Notice that this applies to "them that LOVE God, ... them who are CALLED according to His purpose."

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

NOTHING takes God by surprise!
He knows EVERYTHING!
He knows every turn the earth will make on its axis from the beginning to the end.
He knows every cloud that will move across the sky at any given moment.
He knows the traversing of every atom in space, its beginning and end.
This knowledge is too vast for us to even contemplate, much less comprehend!
But our finite minds cannot fathom the fullness of the Infinite God!

God looked down through time and saw the lives of every single person.
He also knew how those lives would interact with others and with circumstances.
The word "foreknow" is derived from the Greek proginosko, meaning to have intimate knowledge of.

The plan of redemption is woven into the cloth of all mankind!
God knew who would receive Him, and had a plan to reach them.
According to His foreknowledge, He "did predestinate" a plan to reach them.
He did NOT predestinate WHO would be saved.
He predestinate a plan to reach those whom He KNEW would be willing to be saved!

EVERY single soul has the choice to receive or reject God's salvation through Christ!
God NEVER interferes with man's free will.
But, He DOES bring conviction and calling of the Spirit to be saved!

Now, those whom God has called, and who have accepted His call, He "justified"!
They ARE justified before Him in Christ Jesus!

The foreknowledge happened in eternity before time.
The predestined calling takes place in the era of time.
Justification follows acceptance, and is secured through Christ to eternity!
Therefore, the person who is saved is also "glorified"!
(See Ephesians 1:3-6)

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Blessed be God forever, for He has allowed the saved to inherit "all things" NOW!
(See Colossians 3:24)

Though Christ never sinned, God "spared not his own Son" from the effects of sin;
"But delivered Him up for us ALL!"

Being then "...joint-heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17), shall God not "freely give us all things?"
Of COURSE He shall!

And if "God be FOR us," what matter does it make who is "against us?"
Read the end of the book -- GOD WINS!
And those who are saved win with Him!

33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

OH! What a question!!
"WHO shall lay ANY THING to the charge of God's elect?"
Christians, LISTEN UP!
We are NOT to accuse other Christians!
Remember, it is GOD who "justifieth" and NONE can UNjustify!!

Only CHRIST has the right to condemn!
And, He sits "at the right hand of God" to make "intercession" for all Christians EVERY DAY!

We cannot read minds!
God CAN!
We cannot know the intents if the heart!
God CAN!

Always be there for support and not for judgmental accusation or condemnation!

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Neither can the world accuse, judge or condemn the Christian!
NOTHING can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus!

Even today, Christians are persecuted and killed.
Yet, they are not SEPARATED from Christ, they are only sent more quickly TO Him!

Christians are "MORE than conquerors" through Christ!
Because when all is said and done, at that final day, He will say,
"Well done thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matt. 5:21)

Yes, it is difficult to face the problems we have in this world.
But, we know the END!!

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

NOTHING, NOTHING can "separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord!!"

A Christian is washed in the blood of Christ;
sealed in the Spirit of God; and
his/her name is written down in the book of life!

The love of God surrounds us, inspires us, and invigorates us!
No matter what we face, that love NEVER leaves us!

May you be "persuaded" to live as "MORE than conquerors" in Christ!
Because, the Christian may feel lonely, but is NEVER alone!
And, one day, soon I believe, Christ will SHOW "...Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;...." (1Tim. 6:15)

And even though we "suffer," today, "we shall also reign with him!!"(2 Tim 2:12)