Romans 14:1-4

Passage

And receive the one who is weak in faith, but not into disputes of differences of opinion.  On one hand one person believes to eat all things, while on the other hand the weak one eats vegetables.  Do not let the one who eats despise the one who does not eat.  And do not let the one who does not eat judge the one who eats, for God received him.  Who are you – one who judges the household slave of another person?  He stands or he falls by his own lord.  And he will be lifted up, for the Lord is powerful enough to stand him up.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul begins this new chapter with a reminder to the strong that it is our job to receive the weak.  We who have strong faith have no reason to look down upon those who are weaker in the faith.  After all, we all have all been weak at one moment or another.  The only reason that any of us can be strong in the faith is because God worked through strong people as mentors in our life.  When we are weak, it is our proximity to the strong in the Lord that gives us any chance at all!

Who are the people that received you when you were weak in faith?  Who are the weak ones around you that you can receive into your strength?

Second Thought:

Note, however, that Paul makes a specific point about not welcoming disputes over differences of opinions.  I think this is a serious commentary upon human culture.  We far more readily create identity about that which separates us than that which unites us.  We are always looking to set ourselves apart and to be victorious over others.  Christianity is not built upon this dynamic.  Christians are to focus on Christ and our being called to die for Him as He died for us.  It is not up to us to quibble with one another and be victorious over one another.  Rather, it is up to us to come together in what God would have us become.

Why do human beings like to debate and argue?  How many things about which we argue are truly significant?

Third Thought:

Finally, Paul reminds us that we are not the judge over one another.  God is ultimately our judge.  I cannot judge a person righteous or unrighteous.  The best I can possibly hope for is to determine if I am doing the righteous things to which God has called me.  I can certainly help those people who desire to imitate how God is working through me, but I cannot judge over them.  I can welcome people into my presence, but far be it from me to judge their righteousness!

How readily do you pass judgments upon others?  What does it look like when you pass judgments?  Why are we quick to judge others?  How can you learn to welcome people into your life without putting yourself as judge over them?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 14:5-8

Romans 13:11-14

Passage

And having known this season, that the hour is already come for you to be awakened from sleep.  For now the salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.  The night drew to a close; the day has drawn near.  Therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the weapons of light.  We should behave in a fitting manner as in the day, not indulging in parties and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and licentiousness, not in discord and jealousy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision of the flesh in its strong desires.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

When Paul begins this section about awakening from sleep, I do not believe he is talking about the resurrection.  He’s not saying, “The time for us to experience the resurrection is almost here.”  I think this way because of what follows the text.  Paul doesn’t talk about heaven; rather, Paul talks about how we should be living right now!  So what Paul is saying is that the time has come for us to live like Christ right now.  The night – bondage to our human passions – drew to a close.  The day – being a slave to God – has drawn near.  We are to awaken from our bondage to our humanity and live as God would have us live here and now!

Do you live in bondage to your human passion?  Are you an obedient servant to God’s will?

Second Thought:

Paul tells us to cast of the works of darkness.  This is an interesting list.  Paul tells us to get rid of our partying lifestyle.  He tells us to cast off drunkenness.  He tells us to stop sexual immorality.  He tells us to quit living in a culture of arguing.  He tells us to stop being controlled by jealousy.  Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?  I find it interesting that the means may change, but the passions of humanity don’t.  I believe that the leading cultures in any age suffer from these cultural ailments.  The Romans sure did.  The Hebrew people in the time of the kings sure did.  The Mesopotamians sure did.  Coming forward in history, the Holy Roman Empire sure did, the British Empire did.  America does.  Human history is the same record playing again and again.  Rising to the pinnacle in the world doesn’t make us any less likely to fall into sinfulness.  In fact, it probably increases the likelihood.

Why do you think that human passion really hasn’t changed in the past 4,000 years?  What does this really say about human advancement?  How does this help us understand the power of scripture to speak into any generation?

Third Thought:

Instead, Paul encourages us to put on Christ.  You’ll notice he doesn’t say, “Put on behavior like Christ.”  He literally says, “Put on Christ.”  We can do this through the Holy Spirit.  We can literally have God within us.  We don’t mimic God.  We don’t act like God.  We are literally God’s representatives to this world because God dwells in us.  There is power in this thought over and above being enslaved to our human passions.

How do you put on Christ?  Do you put on Christ?  Do you believe that you can live like God or that you can actually live with God inside of you?  How are those concepts different?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 14:1-4

Romans 3:8-10

Passage

Owe nothing to anyone except to love each other.  For the one who loves the other has fulfilled the Law.  For “You will not commit adultery, “You will not murder,” “You will not steal,” “You will not lust,” and if there be any other commandment they are being united together in these words: “You will love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does not do evil to a neighbor; therefore love is a fulfillment of the Law.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul now brings the topics of the last two days of study together in a single united sentence.  The only thing that we should owe to one another is our love.  As we heard yesterday, we should pay our taxes.  We should pay our debts.  We should give respect and honor where it is due.  The only thing that we truly cannot ever completely finish is loving one another.  After all, if God’s love has no end, then why should ours?

Do you have limits to your love?  If so, what are they?  Who around you has the ability to push those limits?

Second Thought:

Paul teaches us a similar lesson as Jesus teaches in Matthew 22:34-40.  All of the commandments of prohibition can be summed up simply by acting out of love.  If we are always acting genuinely with other people’s interests in mind, then we won’t break any commandments.  If I have my neighbor’s best interest in my mind, I won’t covet.  If I have my spouse’s best interest in mind, I won’t commit adultery.  If I have a store owner’s best interest in mind, I won’t steal.  If I orient myself to the world through the lens of love, then my actions will automatically fulfill the law.

How neat is it to think about acting through love as automatically fulfilling the Law?  Is it easier to try and remember a bunch of commandments or simply to remember to look towards the interests of others?  Why does this show the importance of having unconditional and limitless love?

Third Thought:

What this teaching also does is to reveal to us when it is that we stop loving.  When I put my agenda ahead of God’s agenda I cease to love.  When I put my needs ahead of the needs of the other person I cease to love.  It’s really that simple.  So love as I genuinely care about God and my neighbor, I won’t harm them.  But as soon as I care more about myself than about God or neighbor then all bets are off.  Love is inherently antagonistic to self-centeredness.

Would you agree with this statement?  When are you most concerned about your needs and wants?  Is it then that you are the least likely to show love?  How can you focus more on God and the needs of others instead of yourself?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 13:11-14

Romans 13:5-7

Passage

Therefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of wrath but also because of one’s conscience.  For it is because of this that you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God while personally serving in this same manner.  Pay to all that which is owed to them: taxes to the ones who should receive taxes, government duties to the ones who should receive government duties, profound respect to the ones who should receive profound respect, and honor to the ones who should receive honor.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul continues to talk about submission as we progress through this chapter.  However, note Paul’s emphasis with respect to submission.  We don’t just submit because we are afraid of wrath.  That’s equivalent to people saying they only believe in God because they are afraid of Hell.  We submit because we know it’s the right thing to do.  We submit because we know that God and those whom He equips can lead us better than we can lead ourselves.  Submission is a conscious choice we make because we know it is right.

Do you always submit for the right reasons?  When have you submitted for the right reasons of conscience and been better for it?

Second Thought:

As a natural example of submission, Paul talks about taxes.  Paul says that we should pay our taxes, but not because paying our taxes is some divinely appointed commandment.  Rather, we pay our taxes because it is the right thing to do.  We are protected by others who need to be funded.  We do receive services such as roads and running water and those services need to be maintained.  Granted, we can have the debate as to when taxation becomes too great.  But the reality is that paying our taxes is fundamentally sound on a level of conscientious behavior.

Why are taxes a great example of physical submission?  How many of us enjoy paying our taxes?  How many of us pay our taxes begrudgingly?

Third Thought:

The other example that Paul gives about submission is with respect to honor and profound respect.  At first, this might seem like an easy example.  But in reality, how many of us are good at honoring other people?  How many of us are good at giving leaders in our life the profound respect that they deserve?  Are we not quick to think about ways that perhaps we could lead better?  Submission to authorities in terms of honor and respect is often more difficult than it sounds.

Why do we as human beings often find it easier to find fault than to build up?  Why is Paul making a great point in causing us to focus not just on physical submission through things like taxes but also upon emotional and spiritual submission through emotion and relationship?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 13:8-10

Romans 13:1-4

Passage

Let every soul be in submission to the authorities who exercise control.  For there is no authority except by God, and the authorities who are by God are intentionally arranged.  Therefore, the ones who show hostility to the authorities have resisted the ordinance of God.  And the ones who resist will receive judgment upon themselves.  For the rulers are not terrors to the ones of good works but rather to the ones of evil works.  And you desire to not be afraid of authority: do good things and you will have praise out of it.  For he is a servant of God for you into good.  But if you should do evil, be afraid.  For he does not bear the sword in vain.  For he is a servant of God – one who brings punishment into wrath to the ones who practice evil.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Authority.  This is a word that the modern world hates almost as much as the word submit.  Notice that Paul uses these words in conjunction with each other.  Our job as human beings is to submit to those that God has put in authority over us.  From the perspective of Christian logic, this really does make sense.  If God has intentionally arranged for us to have leadership, isn’t it prudent to submit?  If God intentionally arranges for us to have leadership and we do not submit, are we not in rebellion against God?  Yet, we hate submitting.  We desire to have our own free will.  This is a topic at the core of our struggle with sin and God.

To whom do you submit?  To what authority do you have difficulty submitting?

Second Thought:

Note the words that Paul uses as he is talking about the role of an authority in your life.  The authority is a servant of God for you.  In other words, the authority is in a position of authority for the benefit of the people they are leading.  This is powerful for two reasons.  First, it reinforces why it is that we should submit to godly authority.  However, I also believe it is an indicator of how we can determine who is a godly authority.  We know godly authorities by those who work genuinely for the best interests of the people that they are leading.

How confident are you that the people in positions of authority in your life are seeking your best interests?  Do you always know what is in your best interests?

Third Thought:

However, authority is not just for the benefit of the good.  Authority also serves to bring God’s wrath upon those who practice evil.  We must not forget the lesson we learned yesterday – that those who are called to execute judgment must not go too far lest they bring God’s judgment upon themselves.  However, certainly God does call those people in positions of authority to execute justice.  This is why being in authority is so difficult.  On one hand the person of authority has the benefit of leading.  But on the other hand, they have to be careful that their leadership does not overextend God’s will for them.

How does this perspective cause you to think about those people in leadership over you?  Why is it easy to envy those in leadership without considering the burden they bear with respect to balancing good and evil?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 13:5-7

Romans 12:19-21

Passage

Do not seek retribution, beloved, but grant a place for wrath for it has been written, “Vengeance is mine, I will seek retribution says the Lord.”  “But if an enemy should be hungry, feed him.  If he should be thirsty, give him something to drink.  For while doing this you will heap coals of fire upon his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil in good.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul gives us a command to start this passage.  Do not seek retribution.  Period.  When we seek our own retribution, we are not being obedient to God.  It is up to God to bring judgment upon people.  Vengeance belongs to Him, for He alone is the only righteous being in the world.  Who among us can dole out righteous retribution?  In fact, this is exactly the issue with the Assyrians and the Babylonians of the Old Testament.  God empowers them to conquer His people in order to bring His people under judgment.  But the Assyrians and the Babylonians simply go too far.  They went beyond what God empowered them to do and thus fell into judgment themselves.  This is why Paul tells us to not seek retribution.  For when we go too far, we invite God’s retribution upon ourselves!

How often do you seek your own retribution?  Why do human beings like to get even?

Second Thought:

In fact, Paul tells us that we should do more than just not seeking retribution.  Instead, we are to care for our enemies.  We are to give nourishment to our enemies.  For in being kind to them, we display God’s grace.  Of course, there is no need to worry about being too gracious and bringing retribution upon our heads.  This is why grace is the higher road.  When we are kind to our enemies, we will either win them over or demonstrate why they will fall under judgment.  Either way, judgment will not come upon us.

Why is it difficult to give grace to our enemies?  Have you ever been kind to someone who has not deserved it?  How does that make you feel?

Third Thought:

Paul tells us that good overcomes evil.  This is actually the primary theme of the New Testament.  Sin finds forgiveness in God’s grace.  Christ dies on the cross so that we may live.  Ultimately, evil is overcome by good.  However, it takes a divine perspective to understand this.  Only when view through the eyes of God can the crucifixion be a good thing.  Only when viewed through the eyes of God can we truly overcome evil in our good.  Evil abounds in this world and it seems to never be controlled.  But through God and His eternal judgment, good does truly overcome evil.

When you look at the world, do you think good overcomes evil?  Why does it take a divine perspective to believe good can overcome evil in the end?  What examples can you think of throughout history where good eventually did overcome evil?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 13:1-4

Romans 12:14-18

Passage

Bless those who persecute you.  Bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice.  Weep with the ones who are weeping.  While having the same attitude into one another, while not having a haughty attitude but while being associated with the humble, do not become wise in your own sight.  While not repaying evil for evil, while having in mind to do good in the sight of all mankind, if the power is out of you all while living at peace with all mankind.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Having spoken about love, Paul now turns to community.   He gives us three very prominent theories about community living in these verses.  First, Paul tells us to bless the people around us.  Anyone can curse their enemies.  But only someone whose agenda is not rooted in this world can actually bless their enemies.  Having a relationship with God implies that we can look upon the people around us with a perspective that is different from the world.

Do you find it easy to have enemies?  Do you find it easy to bless your enemies and desire the best for them?  What benefit is there to blessing your enemies?

Second Thought:

The second thought that Paul gives us in this passage is one of humbleness.  Paul tells us to not be haughty.  He tells us to be associated with the humble.  He tells us to not be wise in our own sight.  This has two effects.  The first effect is that it allows us to take the focus off of ourselves and instead put the focus upon God.  The second effect is that it makes us approachable to others.  When we are not caught up in our own greatness other people can come and learn from what God is doing in our midst.

Are you successful at being humble?  Do you think yourself wise in your own sight?  Why are you more approachable when you aren’t focused on your own greatness?

Third Thought:

The third thought Paul gives us is that we should live at peace with one another as much as is within our power.  The first two thoughts naturally lead to this third thought.  If we are not cursing our enemies we will not feel the need to repay evil for evil done to us.  If we are not haughty, we will be willing to be in fellowship with our neighbors rather than be in competition with them.  When we are at peace with mankind, we can truly do good with and to one another.

How often do you feel like you are at peace?  How often are you able to do go to your fellow man?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 12:19-21

Romans 12:9-13

Passage

Love is without show: while being repulsed by evil, while joining yourself to good, by brotherly love into warm devotion for each other in your spiritual family, while being eager in showing honor to one another, by devotion not lacking in ambition, while showing enthusiasm by the Spirit, while serving for the Lord, while rejoicing in hope, while enduring affliction, while devoting yourself to prayer, while fellowshipping in community regarding the needs of the holy ones, and while striving toward hospitality.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

This is a very unique passage in the Greek.  In this whole passage, there are no true verbs, which is why I chose to translate it as a list rather than a bunch of sentences.  In translating it this way, it really demonstrates the complexity and fullness of what love is.  So often we think of love in simplistic terms, but true love demonstrates each of these characteristics in one manner or another.  Love is complex.  Of course, since God is love it should not surprise us to hear that love has greater depth and wider breadth than we can honestly fathom most of the time.

When you think of love, how do you define it?  How many of Paul’s descriptions above do you typically consider as a part of love?

Second Thought:

Some of the dynamics of love are directed along the line of truth.  Love is repulsed by evil.  Love joins with good.  Love does not lack ambition.  Love is enthusiastic.  Love rejoices.  Many of these concepts are ideas that I don’t often necessarily associate with love, but I should.  We should be enthusiastic about our love.  We should be ambitious with respect to love.  Love should draw us into rejoicing.  Love is repulsed by evil rather than making excuses for it.  Love embraces good rather than becoming jealous of it.  While I find these words inviting, I also find the truth within them rather challenging.

How do these words invite you in to relationship with God through His love?  How do these words challenge you in how you interact with His love?

Third Thought:

The rest of the dynamics in this list are external displays with respect to love.  Love leads us into devotion for one another.  Love leads us into honoring the other.  Love leads us into service.  Love leads us into enduring affliction.  Love drives us into fellowship and sharing each others’ needs.  Love leads us into hospitality.  Love drives God’s display within us.  But perhaps the greatest display that I find in this passage is the first one.  Love is without show.  Love doesn’t act to be praised and glorified.  Love acts because God should be praised and glorified.  Love just isn’t found in the show.  In this statement I find much in common with Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:1-4.

When you display love, how much show is involved?  Why do we like the show?  How do the dynamics of love spoken about in this thought actually shine better when the show is removed?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 12:14-18

Romans 12:6-8

Passage

And while having different gifts according to a grace that was being given to you all: if prophesy then according to the proportion of faith, if service then in service, if the one who teaches then in teaching, if the one who exhorts then in exhortation, if the one who shares then in generosity, if the one who directs then in intense effort, if the one who shows mercy then in cheerfulness.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

In these verses Paul hits upon a theme that runs all throughout his writing.  As we discussed yesterday, we are all one body but different members.  We have different roles and different functions.  In keeping with that, it should also not surprise us to hear that we have different gifts and different measures as well.  It is God who calls us, God who equips us, and God who grants us the grace to accomplish what we need.  We simply need to trust Him and His ability to grant us what we need to accomplish His will.

How good are you at trusting the will of God?  How good are you at relying upon His ability to equip you to be successful at doing His will?

Second Thought:

Next, Paul lists a number of gifts that are readily seen among the followers of God.  There are several interesting points that can be brought out about the gifts in this list.  First, notice that Paul indicates that having a gift naturally implies usage of the gift.  People who are gifted at serving should serve.  People who are gifted at exhortation should exhort.  This may seem like a simple conclusion, but it is a conclusion that we don’t often hear about in the church.  The majority of the work in a congregation is done by a minority of the people.  That doesn’t mean that only a minority of people are equipped by God.  It means that the majority of people haven’t bought into the idea that their being equipped also means that they are called into service.

Why do you think people who are gifted don’t use their gifts?  Have you ever hesitated to use a gift that God has given to you?

Third Thought:

Another great point to reference in this list is that some of the gifts have a particular manner in which they should be used.  Prophets are to use their gift in relative proportion to their faith.  In other words, weak prophets should prophesy less and strong prophets should prophesy often.  People who are called to share should do so with generosity.  People called to lead should do so with intense effort.  People called to show mercy should be cheerful about giving mercy.  Some gifts are best done when a proper mental or emotional position is taken in conjunction with the application of the gift.

Why do you think some gifts are best used under a certain mental or emotional state?  Go through the list given here and determine why these states enable the application of the gift to be more successful.  What states of mind or emotion might hinder the gifts listed here?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 12:9-13

Romans 12:3-5

Passage

For through the grace that was given to me I speak to all the ones in you to not have unwarranted pride more than it is necessary to think but to think with sound judgment – to each just as God assigns a particular measure of faith.  For just as in one body we have many members, but all members do not have the same function, in the same way we are many in the body in Christ and the members of each another according to the one.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

As Paul moves forward in his teaching for the Romans, he gives us another very interesting point to absorb.  We are not to think more highly of ourselves than is necessary.  Notice what Paul says.  Some amount of pride is necessary.  At some point we need to feel like we can succeed through God’s hand at work in us.  But we shouldn’t get to the point that we are so focused on ourselves that we forget that it is God’s hand at work in us.  There is balance required.

Do you find it easy to walk the balance between confidence and pride?  Why do you need confidence?  How can pride lead to your downfall?

Second Thought:

Paul reinforces this understanding that it is God’s hand that is important.  God assigns us a measure of faith.  In other words, God gives us what we need.  It’s not my skill or my intelligence that matters.  What matters is the measure that God gives.  What makes the difference is God equipping His saints for mission.

How does it affect you to realize that God equips you?  How can that be powerful for you to hear?

Third Thought:

Paul also reminds us that we are many members but one body.  We all have different skills and in different amounts.  But we are all one body.  We are all united in Christ.  We may be different; but we are together.  We are not uniform; we are united.  We are united under Christ.

Are you willing to be under Christ?  Are you united under Christ’s will?  What is the benefit of being united under Christ?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 12:6-8

Romans 12:1-2

Passage

Therefore, I appeal to you all through the mercies of God, brothers and sisters, to make your bodies available to God while living as a holy, pleasing sacrifice.  This is your genuine religious veneration.  And do not conform to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of the mind in order that you examine what is the will of God: good, pleasing, and perfect.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul begins the end of his letter to the Romans in exhortation.  What is his first exhortation?  Paul reminds us to make ourselves available to God.  We are to be a sacrifice unto Him.  We are to be His people, doing His will, living the manner of life that brings glory to His name.  Paul says that this is genuine veneration.  What does God want with us?   He desires that we have relationship with Him and choose to live according to His ways.

Are you available to God?  Are you living holy, pleasing, sacrificial lives?

Second Thought:

Paul then gives us an often quoted phrase, although I think we misquote its intention.  We like to say, “Do not be conformed to this world.”  That is not what Paul says.  Paul says to “not be conformed to this age.”  Paul’s talking about a way of thinking and living.  The people of this age have a certain agenda.  They have a certain passion.  Paul is saying our agendas and passions should be something other than what the world pursues.  He’s not saying that the stuff of the world is bad as much as He’s says that the behaviors and thinking of this age are not worth our time.

Do you think like the world or like God?  How can you become better at thinking like God?

Third Thought:

Finally, Paul tells us that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.  Again, this goes back to Paul’s point.  The stuff isn’t Paul’s focus, the patterns in life has his focus!  Instead of being like this age, Paul encourages us to examine the will of God in order to determine what is good, pleasing, and perfect.  Paul knows that satisfaction in life is found in God, not the ways of this world.

What is perfection to you?  What is goodness to you?  What is pleasing to you?  Are your answers to these questions things of God?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 12:3-5

Romans 11:33-36

Passage

Oh the depth of riches and wisdom and knowledge of God.  How unfathomable are His judgments and impossible to understand are His ways.  For who knows the mind of the Lord?  Who was His counselor?  Who has given to Him in advance and will be repaid by Him?  Since all things are out of Him and through Him and Into Him.  To Him be the glory into the ages, amen.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

As Paul brings his three chapter discourse on the state of the Hebrew people to a close, he turns ultimately to the incredible nature of God.  First, Paul speaks about the incredible riches of God.  His love is incredible.  His mercy is incredible.  He gives charitably far more than He could ever hope to see returned to Him.  He does not abandon us even when we desire to walk away.  How deep are the riches of God indeed!

How have you been impacted by the depth of God’s riches?  Where have you been shown mercy beyond compare?

Second Thought:

Paul then speaks about God’s wisdom and knowledge.  Who can bring counsel to the Lord?  Who can advise God on His plan?  Who can even know the fullness of God’s plan?  Yet, He still desires relationship with us.  He still desires to disciple us in the ways of His character and the scope of His plan.  God’s wisdom is great and unfathomable, but that does not mean we can have no part.

Where do you seek counsel with God?  Where do you try and fathom His greatness?  How do you react to God when it becomes clear that you cannot comprehend the depth of His character?

Third Thought:

Paul ends this three chapter dissertation with a reminder of God’s glory.  His own people rejected Him.  Yet He did not reject them.  Instead, He used their disobedience to reach a disobedient world and now plans to use a forgiven world to reach His own people.  That is a God who deserves to be praised forever.

How do you praise God?  Do you wish to play a part in God’s glorious plan?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 12:1-2

Romans 11:28-32

Passage

On one hand they are enemies to the Gospel for your sake, but on the other hand they are beloved for the sake of their fathers according to being chosen.  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.  For just as you all were formerly disobedient to God but now you all were being shown mercy by their disobedience, therefore these ones were now disobedient for your mercy in order that they all should now be shown mercy.  For God enclosed all into disobedience in order that He should show mercy to all.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul reminds us about the split personality of the Hebrew people.  On one hand, they have rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ and therefore are enemies to it.  Yet, they are the people of Abraham, David, and the prophets and are thus beloved by God.  What this shows us is actually an incredible nature of God.  He loves each of us because of His character, not because of our righteousness.  Just because we do something that does not align with His will does not mean He ceases to love us.  Even should our actions force Him to judge us in condemnation it does not imply that He ceases to love us.

How can this passage help us to understand God’s unconditional love?  For what reason does God love you?

Second Thought:

Paul then pulls out a neat concept.  Their disobedience meant we got a chance to hear the Gospel and to find salvation in God.  God came to us through them.  Now, Paul indicates that they will soon return to Him through us.  One day the Hebrew people will see Jesus as the Messiah; that day will come through the grace that has been continued in us.  God is truly working so that all who humbly come before Him can be saved.

Do you see how big God’s plan seems to be?  How do you think God can work through you to help accomplish His overall plan of salvation?

Third Thought:

The last sentence in this section truly shows the character of God.  He knows we are all disobedient.  He knows each and every one of us will pursue our own will.  Yet, He does not abandon us.  He does not let us walk away into the consequences of our choices.  He continues to walk beside us even when we desire to abandon Him.  He is always looking for a way to demonstrate His mercy.

Do you think you can show mercy to the disobedient as God does?  Do you think you are capable of loving people so much you desire them to see mercy regardless of their disobedience?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 11:33-36

Romans 11:25-27

Passage

For I do not desire you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, in order that you should not be wise in your own presence.  Because a partial hardening of Israel has come until when the full measure of the Gentiles should come in.  In this way all Israel will be saved just as it has been written, “The one who delivers will come out of Zion.  He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.  And this is the covenant from me for them, when I take away their sins.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

We’ve been struggle for some time with understanding how it is that God’s people could reject God.  We’ve also been struggling to consider how that can happen yet we can still avoid worry about our own salvation.  Here we come to Paul’s warning.  This concept is important to consider because it prevents us from thinking too highly about ourselves.  Paul wants us to know that the hardening of the Hebrew heart was for our benefit.  Yet, while it is for our benefit it certainly doesn’t make us untouchable, either.  If the Hebrew people can fall, so can we.  Salvation comes by God’s grace, not by our greatness.

Why is it possible to become haughty in our salvation?  What can we do to keep a sober mentality?

Second Thought:

This passage also leads us to consider God as a God with a plan.  He came to the Hebrew people to invite any who would genuinely listen.  Those among the Hebrew people who would not listen drove His followers into the Gentiles so that any Gentiles who would listen would also be included.  In this way, salvation could come to both the Hebrew and the Gentile people.  God had a plan, and He is so great that He can actually use those who reject Him to accomplish His plan.

Why is it neat to see God as a God who can use those who follow Him as well as those who do not?  How does this put God’s power on display?

Third Thought:

At the end of this passage Paul reminds us what salvation is all about.  Deliverance will come out of Zion.  God will remove the sin from His people.  Remembering, of course, that spiritually Israel are the Hebrew people who humble themselves to God and see His Messiah as the source of salvation.  But what is neat about this passage is that it actually provides a very uniform approach to salvation.  God removes the sin from Gentiles.  Likewise, God removes the sin from Hebrew people as well.  Nobody is saved by works.  Nobody is saved through their own righteousness.  We all need God, both Hebrew and Gentile.

How does this passage display God’s consistency?  How can you know that you are saved by God?  If God saves you, do you truly believe He can save anyone who humbles themselves before Him?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 11:28-32

Romans 11:22-24

Passage

Therefore, see the kindness and the harshness of God: on one hand harshness upon the ones who fell but on the other hand the kindness of God upon you if you should continue in kindness.  Otherwise you will also be cut off.  And those ones, if they should not continue in unbelief they will be grafted in.  For God is powerful enough to again graft them in.  For if you were being cut off of the wild olive tree according to your nature and you were being grafted into the cultivated olive tree contrary to your nature, how much more the ones will be grafted into their own olive tree according to their nature.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I’m going to start at the end of the passage because we’ve been talking a lot the last few days about the Hebrew people and who will be saved out of them.  Paul gives us another picture to understand that he doesn’t teach that all the Hebrew people will be saved.  Paul tells us what a Hebrew person must do in order to be saved.  The Hebrew person who is broken off must do what the Gentile has to do.  Those broken off must get past their unbelief.  They, like the Gentiles, must humble themselves and submit to God.  Those who do that will be grafted back in – even after being broken off!  Again with Paul we see that he no longer sees the Hebrew people through biological and genealogical eyes.  He sees the true Israel as those who live through faith by casting away their unbelief.  But not all will live this way, just as not all Gentiles will live this way.

What does it say about the character of God that He can graft in a branch that had been removed prior?  Why would God remove a branch if He knew that in the future it would be grafted back in?

Second Thought:

Paul encourages us to see two things about God.  We are to see His kindness.  God did not have to graft the Gentiles into His tree.  But He does indeed throw the door wide open and invites us to come and be grafted in.  We simply have to come to faithfulness through the faithfulness of Christ and we can be grafted in!  God is indeed kind beyond what we deserve!

How does this understanding help you become appreciative of God’s character?  How does this understanding help you remain grateful for Christ’s work on the cross?

Third Thought:

Paul also desires that we acknowledge a second thing.  We are to understand that God is not only kind.  God is harsh to those who deserve it.  Paul’s argument makes much sense, even if we would prefer it not to make sense.  If God removed branches and grafted us in, what makes us think that we cannot be removed should we go against God’s free gift to us?  In fact, Paul makes that point precisely at the end of verse 22.  He says, “You will remain if you continue in His kindness.”  Then he specifically says, “Otherwise you will be cut off.”  We are grafted in and our nature is not deserving of that grafting.  If we live according to our nature after we are grafted in, what reason do we have to think we’ll stay grafted in?

How can you live according to God’s kindness?  What does that truly mean?  How do you feel knowing that God can remove branches even after grafting them in?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 11:25-27

Romans 11:17-21

Passage

And if some of the branches were being broken off, you were a wild olive tree as you were being grafted in it, and you became a sharer of the valuable root – do not boast against the branches.  But if you boast against it, remember you do not provide continuous support to the root but the root provides continuous support for you.  Therefore you will say, “Branches were being broken off in order that I should be graft in.”  You rightly speak.  For unbelief they were being broken off, but you stand by faith.  Do not have an arrogant attitude but be afraid.  For if God did not spare the branches according to their nature, neither will he spare you.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul then turns to the Gentiles and reasserts his theme.  Branches were broken off.  Gentiles are being grafted in.  Yet it is not our worth that brings us to be grafted in.  Paul tells us that it is by faith that we are grafted in.  Jesus Christ was faithful.  Through Him we can be grafted in although we do not deserve it.  We have absolutely no reason to be arrogant.  It is by grace through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ that we are being grafted in and by no other reason.

Are you a part of God’s righteous tree?  How do you know?  Why are you there?  How do you treat people who might not be a part of God’s righteous tree?

Second Thought:

Paul tells us the reason that branches are broken.  Branches are broken because they are unfaithful.  They are not willing to abide by God’s patterns.  I’m not talking about perfection and sin, here.  We all sin.  None of us are perfect.  If being sin-free and perfect was a requirement, who among us would be saved.  Rather, Paul is talking about living a life of faithful and humble repentance before God.  Those who humble themselves before the Father – as Jesus Himself did – those are the faithful who are grafted into God’s righteous tree.

Does it scare you to think that God breaks off branches from His tree?  Does it scare you to consider why?  How are motive to live a life of faithfulness?

Third Thought:

Paul is then very blunt with us Gentiles.  If we are grafted in and don’t technically belong there in the first place, what reason do we have to think that we’ll remain if we stop being faithful?  Paul is serious when he writes these words.  Yes, God is a God of grace and mercy.  He is a God of love.  But He has expectations.  He establishes covenants.  If we live a life of unfaithfulness – regardless of what our lips confess – God will break us off and graft in someone in our place!

Do we have any reason to boast?  Do we have any reason to feel entitled?  How do passages like this help to increase your gratitude towards God?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 11:22-24

Romans 11:13-16

Passage

And I speak to you Gentiles.  Therefore, upon as much as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I glorify my service, if I should somehow provoke jealousy in my race and I should save some of them.  For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what is acceptance except life out of the dead?  And if the first fruit offered to God is holy, so also is the whole batch.  And if the root is holy, so also is the branch. 

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Again we come to a very deep passage in Paul’s letter.  Paul is looking to the Gentiles to explain the whole plan of God.  Paul is going to the Gentiles to invite them into relationship with God.  He hopes that either the Jews will see his work as wisdom and join him or else they’ll become jealous over his work and strive to be closer to God on their own.  Either way, his hope is that it will draw them closer to God.  Either they’ll get closer to God through genuine understanding of God’s hand at work in the whole world or else they’ll draw closer to God because they believe they deserve it more.  But the point is that Paul is preaching to the Gentiles hoping that his own people will come closer to God through one reason or another.

Can you follow Paul’s point here?  Have you ever used this same logic in life?  Have you ever worked hard hoping that others would either join you or at least work hard themselves to prove you wrong?

Second Thought:

Then Paul lays out the end goal.  He asks whether or not there is a bad conclusion in either of these scenarios:

• Should some Jews exclude themselves from God’s work, the world can come to God, and
• Should some Jews come to God in Christ by their inclusion they might know life. 

Either way, people are drawing closer to God.  Granted, it is better that both Gentile and Jew come to relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  But Paul cannot control who comes to God.  All Paul can control is that he invites people into relationship one way or another.  Gentile or Jew, what is important is that there is a possibility of people coming to know God.

How easy do you think it was for Paul to have such an open-ended mission focus?  What perspective did Paul need in order to focus on anyone who was willing to listen as opposed to only looking among a specific sub-population?

Third Thought:

Paul ends this text with a fairly confusing pair of analogies.  If we’re not careful, we can take these analogies out of Paul’s context.  What Paul refers to the “whole batch” or the “branch” he isn’t intending to speak of biological Israel.  If we are mindful of verse 14, Paul clearly says “save some of them.”  Remember that when speaks of Israel he is trying to focus on the Hebrew people who are genuinely spiritual.  When Paul says, “if the first part is holy, so is the whole batch” what he means is that if the patriarchs and the prophets and the faithful Jews who came first were holy, then those who follow in their pattern and rhythm are also holy.  The spiritual Jew truly after God’s own heart is never excluded just because the spiritual Gentiles are now being included!

How great is God that in spite of including additional people He continues to include the spiritual Jews?  What can this say to us about the breadth of God’s love?  What can this say about our need to resist being jealous among God’s people?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 11:17-21