Follow Up: President Obama & Governor Romney: Two Sides Of The Same Coin

I am posting this tonight, as the polls close, to remove the notion, as best I can, that my reason for publishing it is political. I assure you my purpose is not political. This is a follow-up to my earlier article President Obama & Governor Romney: Two Sides Of The Same Coin. I will publish it again perhaps tomorrow. No matter how the election turns out I think my observations are extremely relevant. If you are going to comment on or discuss this post please read my first article and this one fully before doing so.

Since publishing that article I have been willingly, and at times unwillingly, engaged in lengthy discussions by every conceivable means: texting, e-mail, social media, and, my old favorite, verbal discussions. I have been amazed, encouraged, disappointed, and sometimes downright disillusioned at much of what I have heard. Mostly I have experienced the latter two.

Let me first say that I, as a supporter of religious liberty, have no problem with someone running for office who doesn't agree with my faith or worships a different god. I also understand that in American politics someone's religious belief will not generally be part of the public debate. I actually thrill at the diversity of my country, and shall pray for God's grace to be upon us and our leaders no matter who is in office. I love my country.

But I am also Christian and a Bible believer. I cannot separate my citizen self from my Christian self, so my faith will influence the level of my support for any candidate. What a candidate believes about God is primary to me. It is the first commandment, the first table of the law, and the ground upon which God judges the people of the earth. This was the premise for my first article.

When it comes to Governor Romney, discovering the detail of his personal religious beliefs has been very difficult. I respect, in some ways, his reticence to discuss his faith while running for office. But he has stated publicly that he knows and believes the major teachings of his church. The most basic teaching of any church is their definition of God.

I don't want to rewrite my previous article, but I must expand my statement about the god of Mormonism. In my article I said that Mormon theology “is a confusing sort of humanistic polytheism (a man-like god and deified men and women)”. Recently I have been reading Mormon theology almost to the point of blindness. I have deliberately avoided non-Mormon writers because I didn't want to be influenced or slanted in my assessment. 

I have been surprised to find Mormon theologians who are openly struggling with their theology and who seem to be aware that there are deep problems. I appreciate and encourage their struggle. But with that being said there are still some hurdles that will probably never be overcome no matter how much struggle takes place. The intractable problem is with the teachings of their early prophets and church hierarchy about their god.

I will state it as simply as I can: the Mormon belief that God the Father and God the Son have eternal, necessary "bodies" is a seemingly impossible theological roadblock to any consideration that Mormons believe in the same God as mainline Christians. Many Mormon theologians seem to agree. This is not a mean-spirited statement, it is clear to me that theologians on both sides of this divide politely agree with that general statement.

Here are a few quotes from James E. Faulconer, professor of philosophy at Brigham Young University, he has a PHD in philosophy from Pennsylvania State University. I don't think anyone can reasonably question his credentials to speak about Mormon theology. I came across his writings while searching a list of Mormon scholars. The article I quote is Divine Embodiment and Transcendence: Propaedeutic Thoughts and Questions as published in the Mormon periodical Element; Spring 2005. The word “propaedeutic” simply means a preliminary or preparatory instruction. Dr. Faulconer struggles in this article with the subject of the body of the Mormon god. I do not use the small g in god as an insult, but to highlight the fact that we disagree on the definition of God. Dr. Faulconer also uses this device. He wrote:

“Latter-day Saint doctrine is that the Father and the Son have bodies: "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also" (D&C 130:22). At first glance this seems straightforward: the Father and the Son are embodied. However, it requires very little reflection to begin to wonder what that means. Joseph Smith's first vision tells us that their bodies are able to hover in the air and that they are bright beyond description (Joseph Smith History 1:17). Brigham Young and others taught that, though their bodies are bodies of flesh and bone, they do not have blood (cf. Journal of Discourses 7:163, Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History 5)”

“Joseph Smith's most clear statement of God's embodiment comes as part of a denial of Nicean trinitarianism: "That which is without body, parts and passions is nothing. There is no other God in heaven but that God who has flesh and bones" (Teachings 181).”

“By not defining God as "wholly Other," existing in a realm absolutely transcendent of this world and being the being on which this world absolutely depends, even for its existence, LDS thought makes a radical break with traditional thought.”

Next Dr. Faulconer says the same thing I have said:

“The consequences of rejecting onto-theology, in other words, the consequences of believing that God is embodied run deep in our cultural and intellectual heritage, to their very roots. As a result, some of our theological discussions may simply be wrong-headed, trying to speak of God with concepts that do not apply or at least implicitly trying to make our understanding of him fit inappropriate concepts and conceptual structures. Even if we somehow manage to escape those problems, our discussions are likely to be shot through with deep equivocation. These sorts of problems make it easier to be sympathetic to those who accuse Latter-day Saints of not worshiping the God of Christianity. If by "God of Christianity" they mean "God of traditional Christian philosophical theology," then they are right: we do not believe in or worship that god.” (Emphasis mine)

I politely, but firmly, agree with Dr. Faulconer, we do not worship the same God. In his conclusion he wrote:

“The scriptures and the teachings of Joseph Smith allow us to say little more about divine embodiment than that God has a body with the same form as ours. From that I think we can also infer that the ontological gulf between ourselves and God cannot be as wide as the tradition assumes, whether the tradition takes God to being itself or to be the Good (and, so, beyond being). Though it is difficult to go confidently beyond that negative conclusion, two things seem to follow: First, the Latter-day Saint understanding of what it means to be in the world is, implicitly, radically different than is the understanding of any other Christian group, though it is not at clear what additionally follows from that difference. Second, our experience of the body, the only standard we have for understanding embodiment, suggests that to say that God has a body is to say that his omniscience and omnipotence must be understood in ways quite different from traditional Christianity because embodiment implies situated openness to a world. In other words, divine embodiment also implies that God is affected by the world and by persons in his world. This means that the belief that God is embodied implies that he encounters the world and that he is, in some ways, passive with respect to that which he encounters, and his passivity may include some notion of unconsciousness.”

Let me be clear. The God of the Bible does not have a body as part of or a necessary extension of His being. Anyone who claims that their god does have an essential body worships a different god than the God who is revealed in the Bible. Furthermore anyone or any church which teaches that their god's body appears to be, is like, or is a human body is clearly included in the list of corrupt theology given in Romans 1:23-25, this passage clearly states that such a belief contributes to the wrath of God falling on a nation and the removal of God's preventative grace as I argued in my earlier article.

Some will argue that the Son Of God in orthodox Christianity has a body. This is a clear misunderstanding of the person of Jesus Christ and orthodox Christianity's teaching concerning Him. The eternal Son existed before the body of Jesus came into existence. Read John chapter 1. In orthodox Christianity the body of Jesus is not a necessary attribute of the being of the eternal Son. The body of Jesus is not God, it is human. God is manifest in it, but is not it.

The truth about the differences between Mormonism, one of the fastest growing religions in the world, and orthodox Christianity has been taught and preached from fundamental and evangelical pulpits throughout this land for years. I have been a witness to this over the last 40 years in ministry. I have sat in conferences where Theology has been declared to the be the highest standard by which we humans are judged by our creator. But, sadly, for some it seems this truth was only valid when it didn't indict a favored political candidate. For that reason more than one commentator has labeled the Christian right as hypocrites.

No matter who is elected today that label will still stick and I think it does not bode well for our country. I have feared the mixing of politics and Christianity that began decades ago would lead to a corruption that might bring us into a direct confrontation with God and I have lived to see it happen... I think. It is my opinion that only God's grace will save us from the fruits of this defection. If you don't understand this then please read my first article.

To my more theologically trained readers please know that I am aware that the use of non-technical words opens me up to extensive clarification and disagreement. The more reasonable among you will understand that I wrote this post for a broad audience. With that said I will not now technically defend my choice of words to those who will take advantage of this non-technical post. I will, most likely, delete comments that attempt to do this. Thanks for reading.

President Obama & Governor Romney: Two Sides Of The Same Coin

There is a God. This is where all human thought should begin. But there is a sort of religious humanism that is revealing itself in our land, perhaps now more than ever. It is a kind of practical atheism or man based theology with political victory as its primary motive. It is upside down theology, with man at the top and God at the bottom. This confusion is deadly to a culture.

It is not surprising that many conservative Christian writers attack President Obama for his stance on the economy, homosexuality, abortion, gun control, Supreme Court nominations, etc. Many of these writers support Governor Romney because he is somewhat on the other side of these issues. Then, strangely, he is given a pass by many Christian writers on his Mormon theology.

David Barton with Wallbuilders, a Christian political action organization, recently said, “So why do we have a question here? Because he's (Romney) a Mormon? Hey, we've got to get past labels. Just like Obama's Christian label means nothing, Romney's Mormon label means nothing.” I wonder if Mr. Barton would shop in a grocery store that refused to put labels on any of their products. Labels are used to explain in brief what it is we are buying. Labels mean something, especially when someone chooses a label for themselves. Mr. Romney chose to label himself a Republican... that means something. He also freely chose to label himself Mormon... that also means something.

Anyone who knows much about Mormon theology knows it is a confusing sort of humanistic pantheism (a man-like god and deified men and women). It is not like Mr. Romney doesn't know this since he is a Mormon priest and former missionary. He has affirmed his unquestioning commitment to Mormon theology repeatedly.

Attempting to remove the corruption in our culture without addressing the corrupt theology behind it is like a firefighter attempting to put out a fire while ignoring the arsonist who is spraying gasoline on the fire. I realize our country is founded on religious freedom and I support that freedom along with Mr. Romney's right to run and folks to support and vote for him. But religious freedom is not a perfect answer to the problems that plague mankind. We are still accountable to the Creator for our beliefs as well as our actions.

While our constitution supports our freedom to define God as we wish it cannot free us from the consequences of doing so. There is a God and, based on the Bible, He doesn't give us unfettered freedom to redefine His existence. While Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, had the constitutional freedom to define his god as he wished, the Creator of this world did not give him or his followers freedom from judgment for their corruption of His revelation. Mormonism is not the only theological corruption out there, but this election has clearly put the issue of theological differences in the headlines with Mormonism at the center of the debate.

So which is more important? Theological corruption or social corruption. Well actually they are both linked in a cause and effect relationship in Romans 1:18-32. It is easy to find the cause and effect terms in this section of scripture. When a certain condition exists: Romans 1:19-23; 1:25; 1:28  then a certain action is taken: Romans 1:24; 1:26-32. Based on this passage, when we see a corrupt culture we know that the cause is God's judgment on corrupt theology. Our country is not facing judgment, the corruption in our culture indicates we are already under judgment, and changing laws will not free us from that judgment. The evidence is all around us, and some among us continue to spray gasoline on the fire. Some, like President Obama, support laws to let the fire burn, while others, like Governor Romney, redefine God's revelation of Himself and spray fuel on the fire. Two sides of the same coin...

Romans 1 teaches that what we believe about God is the primary factor in our earthly relationship with Him, and the health of our culture is dependent on correct belief about God. The equation in Romans 1 is simple: corrupt theology leads to a corrupt culture. And our whole culture is in this together. There is no part of our nation that is free from the stain of judgment. There is also no part of our culture that is free from rejection of the notion that theological corruption is behind our current condition. In fact, I fear that the most common reaction in our country to the notion of the primacy of Theology in a culture is rejection.

If what I have stated is true, then we are at an impasse that politics and voting cannot change. This is unacceptable to many people. They want to believe that we can, in our own strength, change our condition. Romans 1 teaches us that the only way to reach those heights of change is to realize how far we have fallen into His judgment and, as fallen creatures, rest in God's strength to free us from this judgment through His Gospel. Romans 1:16-19

The Liberty To Be Different

Romans 14:5b Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

Differing beliefs and practices are present in all human relationships. Carol's grandfather used to say, “A monkey is a monkey no matter what tree it's in.” His point was that people will carry their humanity with all its complexity, frailties, and ever-changing limited knowledge into their group experiences. Moving from one group, church, or government to another doesn't change our basic humanity.

In this chapter Paul addressed the problem of differing beliefs and practices among Christians in the same church. That Christians do not agree on everything is a practical reality in any church, but how we handle those differences sends a message to the rest of the world about who we really are.

In this world the members of any organized group will never hold identical beliefs in all matters of life. For any group to function and fulfill its long-term purpose that purpose must be clearly stated, understood, and agreed to by all members. This agreement must be coupled with a well designed liberty to peacefully differ in non-essential matters. Non-essential matters are those matters which are not essential to the life and purpose of the group.

What a group cannot or will not prohibit it must allow. This allowance should not affect the liberty of another member if that member has the freedom to peacefully differ in non-essential belief and/or practice with fellow members. For true liberty to exist the right of peaceful dissent and non-participation must be vigorously protected by lawful authority and all members. Liberty is pierced when we are required to change or modify our beliefs, or to support or otherwise engage in behaviors that are against our conscience.

It is this liberty the Apostle Paul called for in this chapter. But this liberty becomes destructive error when it is the identity of a church. A true church is not defined by the freedom to believe and practice whatever any member wishes. A true church is defined by its unity in submission to Christ Jesus and His truth as revealed in the Scriptures. To believe everything is to believe nothing. A church is not the pillar and ground of the truth if it doesn't clearly state and believe the truth. Truth matters.

Balancing revealed truth with human frailties is one of the most difficult of Christian responsibilities, but, as difficult as it may be, balance must be maintained. Paul gives us the pattern to follow in this section of Romans.

Mercy Rides On The Wings Of Thanks Giving

Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

One of the root causes of a culture's decline as described in Romans 1:24, 26-32 is the cold thanklessness of those in the culture who know God. The source of this thanklessness is, according to this verse, the result of a change in their way of thinking, or, perhaps more correctly, in the focus of their thoughts. The phrase in this verse “but became vain in their imaginations” means: “their thoughts became directed to worthless things.” Bauer-Danker

So the visible downgrade of a people who know God begins when they fail to discipline their minds to be appropriately vocal and sincere in their thankfulness to God. Growing out of this thanklessness, according to Romans 1:23,25, comes a movement to redefine God. To devise a new god more suitable to their new way of thinking... a more practical god. This all happens over time.

There is more in this section of Scripture than I can begin to touch in a short post, but let me just point out a few major truths which are laid out on the surface for us all to see: God listens for our thanks giving, observes the focus of our thoughts, and He measures our beliefs about His being. Based on His experience with us in these matters He decides to extend or withdraw His mercy. And His mercy is the foundation of the moral prosperity of any people. His mercy and our thankfulness are intertwined. It could be said that mercy rides on the wings of thanks giving.

God walks among us... especially those of us who know Him. Let us focus our minds upon Him, and let us appropriately thank Him without redefining Him. Our nation depends on our accuracy and faithfulness in this matter.

Presuppositions To Thanks Giving

Romans 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The two words “thank God” may have more depth of meaning than any other human expression. Perhaps it is because I was raised close to atheism that the presuppositions supporting these two words sort of pop when I hear them used sincerely, or use them myself.

When I use these words I express the belief that I have received benefits from a Being outside myself. That this Being has special powers to touch my life without being seen. So this Being, I call God, transcends physical life. In these two words I celebrate His power to manipulate the physical world around me, and to effectively change or influence the events of my life, and the lives of others. He can keep me from being harmed, or make what harm comes my way profitable to me or to Him.

So... coupled to the power expressed in these words is a wisdom that sees all the potential outcomes of every possible option relating to my life. And in my thanks I express trust that He has chosen the right options for me and/or those who attract my pleas of concern on their behalf. I also realize that in this expression, thank God, I confess that I believe God controls the cosmos, for if He does not then His influence cannot be discerned from the natural forces and events that surround me. He becomes just another person in my life with powers limited by this existence.

In these two words I acknowledge that God, who controls the world, has an interest in the details of my life. That His interest reaches into the details of my life that are beyond my consciousness. He knows me better than I know myself. That this Being --this God-- with such wisdom and power, must have made a decision about me which resulted in His amazing benevolent attention upon me. This is the first conscious decision of love. In these two words, thank God, I express the truth that I know He loves me...

And when I examine myself for what would make me so loveable to my God I become more amazed and thankful because I don't find anything... in fact, I find many reasons for Him to not love me. So, to me, His love is unmerited and His actions on my behalf are undeserved. So in my words of thanks there is always a special intensity and depth of emotion drawn from the well of my unworthiness.

Even when I thank Him for the smallest benefit my thanks carries the expression of my unworthiness and knowledge of the price His love paid to bring me to this place in life where I offer my thanks... And my thanks is truly all I have to give Him in return for all He has given so freely to me. So today I bow before him, possessing nothing that has not come from His loving hands, to give my thanks with all its depth of meaning. Thank you... my Lord and my God. Thank you for loving me... for loving us.

A Bridge To Clarity

Romans 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named,

The Apostle Paul, the writer of this verse, was chosen by God for a special kind of work. He was the first pioneer missionary. This means he was sent to work with people who had never heard the name of Jesus Christ, and had no cultural context or influence from Christianity.

Because Paul was a pioneer missionary his books take on a special value to modern Christ followers. They were written to first generation churches. So Paul's writings are a bridge to clarity unburdened by centuries of tradition. If there is a form of Christianity which doesn’t look like this record then we can be fairly sure it is loaded down with traditions not found in the churches started by Paul.

Paul also had to work through the complex merger of two types of people in some of these early churches: Jews, who had a long history of customs and traditions, and non-Jews, who had no knowledge of ancient Jewish customs. So in Paul's letters we have a record of this cultural clash. Because of this clash the writings of this missionary Apostle give us a clear guide to resolving differences between the New Covenant and the Old. His writings are also a guide to handling the traditional, cultural, and doctrinal differences between people who serve the same Lord.

The Bible becomes a bridge over the chasm of the centuries. We can cross that bridge to Paul's writings and bring a purity back with us into today. An uncluttered reality. And for those who are not willing to cross that bridge, we have guidance on how to structure and maintain a vibrant relationship with them.

This Apostle has become a dear friend and counselor to me through the years. His writings have changed my life and thinking in so many ways. I have a list of Paul's confirmed writings below:

Romans

1 & 2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 & 2 Thessalonians

1 & 2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

In The Beginning God...

These are the biggest, deepest, and most basic words in human language, and they are the first words in the Bible. These words place God in transcendent existence at the first comprehensible moment. He was not in that moment, He is the Creator of that moment. Time does not contain Him. He created this measured existence called time when the first particle came into being.

The Apostle John said it this way, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

The Apostle Paul said, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”

And Moses prayed, “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”

Amen.

The Gospel Promotes Interracial Harmony

Romans 16:2 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: 27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

From chapter two through the rest of Romans a thematic thread addressing the potentially destructive force that racial conflict and tension can bring into church life runs through this book. The foundation the apostle Paul laid and the intense logic of his arguments gave a clear statement of the commitment it would take for all Christians to avoid the dire consequences of racial division

Paul showed how the fundamental truths of Christianity logically promote racial harmony among Christians. Instead of being one homogeneous nation, as with Israel before, we who populate Jesus' churches are adopted children who have no common racial ancestry. The gospel and the preaching of Jesus revealed the former secret that the population of the Church that Jesus built would be made up of every kindred, tribe, and language on earth. The “power to stablish” us in our racial complexity is found in that message. We must hear it... we must know it... we must live it...

Like much of the rest of practical Christianity, our interracial stability is found in the profound belief in and commitment to the clear statements of Jesus, Paul, and other New Testament writers about the global power and intent of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the call for our obedience to the faith that has saved our souls.

Those who use Old Testament passages to foster racial division are using the Bible incorrectly. The New Testament changed the rules of the game. Those who want to argue with God about this issue will receive this response: For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Romans 9:15, 16 God has chosen it to be so... and I am so glad to be a part of His great family! And I say, “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.”

Workfellow

Romans 16:21 Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.

This word workfellow was used almost exclusively by Paul in the New Testament. It gives us insight into Paul’s thinking concerning the methods he used to advance Christ's kingdom. This is a work culture word. What I mean by that is the use of this word gives us insight into the culture Paul created in the teams he worked with in ministry.

Some groups are authority centered in their work culture while others are task centered. Each group has a vocabulary that flows from their culture. Paul was definitely a task centered leader. Don’t get me wrong, it was clear that Paul had the authority of Christ, but that authority was directly related to the tasks Christ ordained him to fulfill. He built teams around tasks not himself. This is one of the reasons the work continued when he moved to another town.

Workfellow is a task centered word. The Language Scholar Thayer captured the full meaning of the term as used in this verse when he said, “one who labors with another in furthering the cause of Christ.” Someone can own a title, but without a meaningful task the title is worthless. The terms “my workfellow” have great complimentary value for task centered Christ followers.

Lord, please give me the heart of a workfellow in your kingdom. One who cares not what title I hold, but only what tasks our team can accomplish for you and your kingdom.

Is Prayer Necessary For Salvation?

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

I was asked the question in the title a few months back at the end of a Bible class. The notion that a prayer for salvation is necessary to receive salvation is so popular today that it is tightly woven into the fabric of contemporary Christianity. Question it and some look at you like you are seriously disturbed. So... I guess you can just call me crazy Larry, because... well... I questioned it...

This is not such a difficult question to answer, but it may be difficult to hear the answer. I didn't have time in that class to answer the question properly, so I wrote this answer to make it available for our members to read and carefully study. I have posted it on my blog to make it available to anyone who wants to study the subject. So… here goes… first some Bible facts:

• There is not one verse in the Bible that claims a person must pray to be saved… not one.
• Even though the Bible records various examples of people being evangelized, there is no example in the Bible of any believer asking an unbeliever to pray for salvation… not one.
• There is no place in the Bible where prayer as a component of salvation is systematically discussed. What I mean by that is there is no place in the Bible where a serious Bible student can go to find instruction on how this prayer for salvation thing works.
• There is no place in the Bible that tells me what should be said in this prayer or any example of a prayer for salvation. Some might say that Luke 18:13 tells us what must be said. But that prayer doesn’t meet the standard usually required by those who teach prayer for salvation from Romans 10:13. There is no confession, and no mention of Jesus in the prayer. This prayer contains no acknowledgment of saving faith or the Gospel, and there is no place in the context of this verse or the rest of the Bible which promotes the use of this prayer by others.
• There is also no place in the Bible where a person is requested to “ask Jesus into your heart.” In fact the two words “ask Jesus” never appear together in the Bible.
• There is no place in the Bible where prayer and salvation are discussed in the same context. Ah, but some may say Romans 10:13 meets that standard. Before I go there let me first mention that resting an essential salvation doctrine on one verse that appeared decades after the ministry of Jesus is dangerous.

Romans 10:13 is a partial quote of the Old Testament passage Joel 2:32. So in order to interpret it properly it must be studied in two locations, first the Old Testament and then the New Testament. But it is interesting that I have never come across a proponent of prayer for salvation who even knew this was a quote from the Old Testament. I'm not trying to be rude, but if a person hasn't studied the verse enough to know it is a quote, then it is clear that person hasn't studied the subject sufficiently enough to even have an opinion. Especially when dealing with the bible doctrine of salvation.

It must be noted that the word “prayer” does not appear in Romans 10:13. Paul did use the word prayer in Romans 10:1, but not anywhere else in chapter 10. The words translated prayer and call are not the same words. Confession, as it is used in Romans 10:9-10, is also not prayer. Confess means, "a public statement of what one believes." (Friberg's Analytical Greek Lexicon) The word call is used in Romans 10:12, and the Old Testament verse quoted in Romans 10:13 was used by Paul to support the statement he made in Romans 10:12. Verse 12 is part of the contextual discussion that Jews and non-Jews can now have the same standing with God.

The word call in Romans 10:12 is a present participle. Which means it defines “its subject as belonging to a certain class.” (Burton’s Greek Grammar) Call is not something done once, but it is a repetitive habitual action which identifies someone as belonging to a specific class of people. This class of people has already believed (Romans 10:14) and are, therefore, in the class of those who regularly call on the Lord. The intent of this verse is to teach that God "is rich" to this class of people no matter their race. 

Call in Romans 10:13 comes from a Hebrew word which means “to enter into an intensive relationship as someone who calls.” (Koehler-Baumgartner Hebrew Lexicon) Paul’s reason for using this Old Testament verse was to support the truth that Jews and Gentiles can now both be in a relationship with the Messiah because of the “righteousness which is of faith” (Romans 10:6). Paul was not discussing how a person gets into a relationship with God, but what class of persons are in a relationship with Him. This righteousness which comes by faith to all who believe the gospel, both Jew and Greek, has been the heart of Paul's discussion since the beginning of Romans.

An understanding of the gospel is necessary for salvation along with belief in that gospel. In every case of evangelism in the New Testament people were called to believe or have faith in that gospel. Those who have believed the gospel can and will now freely and regularly “call” on the name of the Lord. This teaching of salvation by grace through faith in the gospel of the Lord Jesus is supported throughout the New Testament. Prayer associated with the immediate work of salvation is supported nowhere in Scripture.

Why is this so important? Well there are at least three reasons:

1. Salvation is the most important doctrine in the world and accuracy on this subject is profoundly important. Even if you differ with me on this subject of prayer the importance of the doctrine should cause you to pause and carefully seek the truth apart from your own tradition or personal desires.
2. The bible is the rule of our faith and practice, so every belief should be tested by the Scriptures.
3. People who have been led in a prayer for salvation, as I was, often struggle with doubts about their salvation. They may tend to examine their prayer and wonder if it was good enough... did I say the right words, or was I sincere enough? Instead of looking with faith and confidence at the gospel for salvation and trusting that Jesus did everything right on our behalf they may be forever bound to look at themselves and their performance for confidence. And that leads to doubt and spiritual struggles, because we can never be sure we did something good enough. If you were led in a prayer for salvation I am not saying you are now lost, what I am saying is there is no evidence that prayer has any essential role to play in salvation. Turn your attention to the gospel work of Jesus Christ... that is where the firm confidence of salvation is found. Prayer is a good thing... but it cannot save. Only Jesus' Gospel work can reconcile us to God.

I Just Prayed For Some Amazing People

Romans 15:26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

There were basically three categories of poor at the time Paul wrote this letter. The first were the “working poor”. These were people who held jobs which brought in just enough to live day by day. Then there were the underemployed, who only had some of the daily essentials for living. Then last were those in abject poverty who, without help from others, had nothing. This is the word used in this verse. It means to be in the continuous state of destitution and dependent on others for life’s essentials.

The poverty in the church at Jerusalem was not caused by laziness. It was brought on by a double persecution. The Jews and Romans both persecuted the church. Many of the Christian men and leadership of the church had been killed, imprisoned, or severely injured. This left a large number of widows and orphans in abject poverty, and there were more in this condition than the healthy families could support.

Christians were also kept out of the economy. The Jews would not give them jobs or buy their products. So the only jobs available to them were the ones no one else wanted. Everyone who could work did, but there was still not enough to go around.

The healthy men in the church and their families could have moved away and found better jobs elsewhere. But they stayed... They faced daily grueling sacrifice to meet the needs of those who could not provide for themselves. These were amazing men and women who Paul and Christians around the world were committed to help with their awesome task. Paul was carrying a large amount of money, collected by the churches in other regions, to be given to the Jerusalem church for the needs of the poor.

In today's world there are still some amazing people who give their lives to help the poor. Sometimes, I expect, they wonder if anyone cares or understands the heavy load they carry, and if we know how deeply they grieve when there are not enough resources to go around. Please know, if you are giving your life to the poor, that you have been prayed for today. Those workers who I know personally have been brought before my Lord by name. But I do not want to be as those who say, “be ye warmed and filled,” then walk away having done nothing to help. I and my church are not only committed to pray for you, but to give and go.

The Self-indictment of Moral Conservatism

Romans 2:1 ¶ Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

Conscience is an important Bible word which is found in the New Testament not the Old. It means, “the faculty of moral consciousness or awareness by which moral judgments relating to right and wrong are made.” BDAG

Conscience begins with self-awareness, and moves to the innate recognition that right and wrong exist. This is more than learned socialization. It is an inseparable aspect of human consciousness. It is a state of being. It is the mark of our creator obligating us to be morally like Him.

This text is not opposed to judging, it is a warning of the self-indictment contained in the act of judging. When we judge another person we prove we have a conscience, can recognize the need for right thought and behavior, and we are confident enough in this knowledge to measure the moral state of someone else.  We then, when judged by God, cannot plead that we did not know. We are, as the verse says, inexcusable.

The more detailed our knowledge of the precision of moral perfection the greater our own condemnation. This is why nearness to God never leads to arrogance... it leads to humility, and more dependence on the Gospel.

It is not obedience to a list of rules, but the purity of ourselves that conscience seeks. Our conscience may find temporary solace in an obeyable list of behavioral rules, but it can never by behavioral means fully free itself from the conscious weight of imperfection. That ever-present nudge of conscience that we are not as we should be is an indicator that we need something more than we have within us to be at peace with ourselves and our Creator. Jesus put the demand of conscience this way: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 Then... He gave us the Gospel.

Little Candy Bar Or Big Candy Bar?

Romans 15:12 in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Many common English translations of the Bible use the word “hope” here instead of “trust”. It is true that various usages of this Greek word are translated with the word “hope,” as in v. 13. But that does not mean it should be translated “hope” here. This translation conflict is helpful because it focuses our attention on the fuller meaning of this word. Let me explain.

The hope or anticipation of a future experience must be based on some knowledge, belief, or experience. I read a psych book on fatherhood a number of years ago and there was an experiment mentioned that intrigued me. Children from unstable, fatherless homes, and children from stable homes were individually offered a candy bar deal. They could have a smaller candy bar now, but if they waited a few hours they could have a candy bar twice the size. The majority of the fatherless children took the small candy bar, while the majority of the children with fathers waited for the big candy bar.

It was a trust issue... but springing from the trust issue was the anticipation of a sure future. Trust and hope are welded together as cause and effect. Each child made the decision based upon personal experience. Those who had a stable home life anchored by a dependable father had the experience upon which to base their expectation. Trust turned into hope. The word in this verse comprehends that whole meaning.

The definition of the word translated “trust” in this verse is: “to look forward to something with an indication of the person on whom hope is based.” BDAG This passage focuses our attention on the foundation of the anticipation of non-Jewish Christians. The reason believing non-Jews can anticipate a place in the inheritance of the eternal day is because of who Jesus is and what He has done for us.

The deeper our relationship with Jesus, the more sure our hope becomes, and the greater our anticipation of the eternal day. The reason a lot of people want their spiritual candy bar now is because they don't have a solid relationship with the foundation of all hope: Jesus. Get to know Him...

The Hard Work Of Maintaining Peace

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Peace doesn't just happen. Only those who enjoy a peace maintained by others can carelessly entertain the notion that peace comes easy. It involves hard aggressive work, and has many components. Peacemaking is a basic Christian work, and is vitally important to the ministry of any church.

Romans 14 clearly communicates many of the vital components of Christian peace. I’ll list some of these:

• All parties must have a commitment to aggressively pursue peace. 14:19
• Those who are mature in their faith, and in the processes of peace (in chap. 14: “the strong”) must take responsibility for those who have no experience in or do not understand the importance of making peace. (in chap. 14: “the weak”) 15:1
• The strong must do this by avoiding counterproductive arguments. 14:1
• The strong must avoid despising or rejecting the weaker person. 14:3
• We must each accept the Lord’s jurisdiction over ourselves and others, and that we have no jurisdiction over other Christians except to the extent given by our Lord. 14:3-12
• The strong must accept that the Lord may truly be behind their brother’s weak conscience. 14:14
• I must accept that my brother in Christ is primarily responsible to the Lord not me. 14:4
• I must accept responsibility for not causing my brother to stumble or fall in his Christian walk. 14:13
• We must both seek to build each other up (edify)… not tear down. This is a central principle in Christian love: to always seek the benefit of the other. 14:19b
• The strong must control their liberty by denying themselves some behaviors they believe they have liberty from their Lord to practice, but the behavior offends their brother in Christ. 14:19-23 Some may call this hypocrisy. Well… It is not hypocrisy to refrain from liberty when that liberty may harm or offend another person, it is Christian charity.
• I must refrain from “spying out” the liberty of my brother. Galatians 2:4 This is a form of unjust judgment, and taking unwarranted jurisdiction.14:4 This could also be a breach of trust between friends.

Peace is intentional. Plan and work at it... today.

If It Please You...

Romans 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

The word please is most commonly used today as a polite verbal accessory to any request. This usage is actually a shortened version of the old phrase: “If it please you…” This antiquated expression was considered polite language because the user expressed consideration for the other person before their own request should be considered.

This remnant of polite verbiage is also a remnant of a Christian principle which flowed out of this section of Romans. The word please, in this passage, means “to express interest in accommodating others by meeting their needs or carrying out important obligations” BDAG It is intended to contribute a tone of special worth and dignity to a relationship.

This passage doesn't instruct us to use this word in our language, it instructs us to live this word in our relationships with others. My attention should be on my neighbor and his needs. And my thoughts should be trailing my attention with questions like, “What can I do to build his life up… make it better?” And then I should act on my thoughts. Ah… this would make for a great neighborhood wouldn’t it?

What if all your neighbors thought this way? It would be an outrageous neighborhood! But this kind of thinking would also make for a great parent/family, friend/church, citizen/nation, colleague/work place, etc… a Great Life!

Jesus was mentioned in this passage as the example of this kind of living. His neighbors were people who “reproached” Him. This word described neighbors who used insulting, dishonorable language against Jesus and His Father. Not the kind of neighbors anyone would want, but, without God's grace, this is a description of all of us. Wow... He endured insults from his neighbors, while putting their needs above His own by bearing away our guilt on the cross. Lord... help me be a good neighbor.

Unjust Accusations Can Kill

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

When people are together in long-term group relationships there will invariably be accusations of wrong doing which can cause destructive conflict. This is an unfortunate reality of the human condition… but this doesn't have to kill your group relationship or church. Here are some helpful principles.

1. When an accusation against someone is made in your presence focus your attention on the accuser—not the accused. Focusing first on the accused is unjust. The accuser should be required to give clear evidence supporting the accusation to someone who has the authority to hear and respond to the evidence (jurisdiction). Listening to accusations when you have no jurisdiction is not only unjust it is similar to allowing someone to dump garbage on your lawn which you can't remove. Since you can't do anything about it the garbage just sits in the front yard of your mind. So:

2. You should be aware of the people who have jurisdiction to hear and resolve accusations in your group. When you know who has jurisdiction you can use a process question to politely preempt the accuser before the details of the accusation are spilled out. What’s a process question? Keep reading.

3. A process question will open the door to inform the accuser of accepted methods to resolve conflict in your group. A process question could be, “Did you know we have a method to effectively deal with accusations?” The answer, “No I didn’t.” opens the door for you to educate the accuser on the methods used in your group to resolve differences. If the answer is, “Yes, but…” then you have someone who is either unwilling or unable to resolve the conflict in a normal fashion. It is possible this person just wants to spread trash about someone without being accountable. But it is also possible this person has information about child abuse, or some other serious crime. Either way this accuser should be directed to someone who can assist them with their dilemma.

4. When the appropriate authority is involved leave the matter in the Lord’s hands. Let’s say the accused is guilty, but the evidence doesn’t meet the required standard, so the accused “gets away with it.” We must remember that God is aware of every wrong. No one “gets away” with anything, but for human justice to function there must be standards and order. The maintenance of justice is more important than any individual wrong.

5. If you don't have clear methods to handle accusations in your group it is best to take care of this before the accusations come... and they will come. If your group is not properly prepared then its days are numbered.

Sacrificing Ourselves Together

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

In the expression “your bodies a living sacrifice,” there is a plural: “bodies”, and a singular: “a living sacrifice”. This language usage sometimes implies a group doing a singular action together. This could certainly be the usage Paul intended in this verse. Such language would fit what I know of committed Christians, and also seems to be the common case in the New Testament. Christian history is filled with accounts of Christians sacrificially serving Christ together as one entity.

This interpretation rests well with the context. Previous chapters presented believers as a multiracial family of adopted children. The following verses, 3-8, illuminate this collective sacrifice by the illustrative use of a functioning human body.

“Our reasonable service” then, is not an independent venture. This service is given by an ordered group of followers which Jesus called His church. Each follower of Christ has personal gifts which are intended for use in a “body,” and are of little value alone. Make sure you are part of team of committed servants of Christ. Long-term group sacrifice creates a bond that is rare in this world. If you are looking for a church to serve in, feel free to write, and I'll try to help.

It has been my privilege in Christian service to work with committed, faithful men and women who are ready and willing to sacrifice themselves for the Savior as an effective, mobile group. To my family, our church staff, and our wonderful church family: I am privileged to serve with you. I am constantly strengthened by the knowledge of your sacrifice and love for our Savior.

"In Christ"

Romans 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Paul used the phrase "in Christ" frequently in his writings. It is a “marker of close association within a limit.”BDAG So not everyone is “in,” and there are requirements to get “in.”

The requirement for entrance into this "close association" is personal faith in the Gospel work of Jesus Christ. Paul clearly spelled this out in Romans 3:19-31.

A person who is “in Christ” enjoys the benefits of a permanent relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. These benefits include: His personal care and concern, His love, eternal life, and the perpetual presence of His Spirit.

Adrian Rogers said, “The key to living a victorious Christian life is to discover who you are in Christ. Many Christians have never discovered this. They remind me of the man who had an identity problem and an energy crisis at the same time. He didn’t know who he was and he was too tired to find out.”

For believers, “in Christ” is not where we are, but who we are. God doesn’t work from the outside in, He works from the inside out. He doesn’t modify our behavior to change us; He changes us, then everything about who we are is affected.

You’re never going to purify the water by painting the pump. That’s legalism and it’s a dead end to discovering who you are in Christ.

Search God’s Word for the phrase, “in Christ.” As you find phrases that apply to your life, write those down. Begin with phrases such as “no condemnation” now that you are “in Christ.” Romans 8:1

If you are not “in Christ,” but are curious, begin by understanding the gospel. I’ll be glad to help you, just write.

When Freedom Goes Too Far

I recently ended a series on Liberty of Conscience (to be published in the future) with these questions: To what extent does government have culpability for the behaviors and beliefs it allows? Liberty of Conscience demands a certain amount of liberty of action. But when does freedom go too far? Will God judge a whole nation because of the freedom given a few?

When some of us think of national judgment we tend to think in terms of disease, war, economic failure, or oppression. This type of judgment has certainly happened in history, but it is not the normal way God judges nations.

In Romans chapter 1, we are taught that God’s judgment begins by the removal of the spiritual force He uses to restrain wayward humanity. This restraining force has been in place since mankind first fell and God’s grace became the only preserving force. This restraint is necessary for fallen humanity to live in a productive, relatively peaceful society. Without this common restraining grace there can be no civilization.

The primary reason revealed in Romans 1 for this judgment is corrupt religion. That is: religion which dishonors God, the Creator. This is why many of our forefathers, and some founding fathers, declared that the United States would continue in liberty only so long as the Christian God is properly honored by the people of the United States. It was not a legalistic system they were promoting, but the recognition and honor due from and given by creatures to their Creator. They were students of history and Romans 1 enough to know the awful resulting judgment upon a population which dishonors the Creator.

Primary judgment comes in the form of dishonor. God, in judgment, withdraws His gracious restraint which results in a substantial number of citizens vigorously engaging in dishonorable behavior. The scriptures say God “gave them up”. That is: He released them into the captivity of dishonor in response to their dishonoring Him. This state of judgment is evidence of rotten religion.

This puts a nation into an insane spiral out of freedom into the cold captivity of reprobation. Corrupt religion points to the dishonorable behavior of fellow citizens and threatens God’s judgment if it isn’t outlawed. But… law will only lead to further judgment, because it is not fundamentally a problem that can be solved by force of law; it is a problem of corrupt religion. And one of the characteristics of corrupt religion is it points to law (human effort) instead of grace (God’s remedy) as the route to divine favor. But this religious humanism looks like the sin fighting, culture changing answer, so it is then given more power, politically and otherwise. And the spiral into judgment continues.

The judgment detailed in Romans 1 comes in the form of more freedom for dishonorable behavior demanded by the citizens, and more license granted by government to engage in these behaviors until the people become uncivilized and thoroughly corrupt. Religious humanists (addressed in Romans 2, 3) call for more laws… and a culture once blessed by grace moves into justice. May God have mercy upon us… sinner and saint alike. God’s mercy in Christ Jesus is our only hope, and it has always been our only hope.

Sounds Of Victory

Romans 10:15b as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

The apostle Paul partially quoted Isaiah 52:7 here. The historical context of that verse is the deliverance of Israel from the oppression of another country. Israel seemed to always be in a cycle of judgment. She would break her covenant with God, then God would bring the judgment described in the Covenant. This judgment often included bondage by a neighboring country. Then God would, in His mercy, allow a repentant Israel to victoriously drive the invaders from her land.

This victory message was joyfully carried by messengers to all the villages and cities of Israel. And it is these messengers of victory whose feet are called “beautiful” in this passage. But Paul used this verse to describe a messenger who carries a different message of victory: the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The context is broader and everlasting. Every person in the world is under the judgment of God because of sin. The oppression of this judgment should be clear to all of us. We are captives to sin, illness, death, and then the final judgment. Since we all have sinned (Romans 3:23), this will not turn out good unless we have heard and believed the victory message: the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The gospel is the good news about the victory won by Jesus Christ on behalf of all who, by faith, receive the benefits of His death, burial, and resurrection. He fought and won the everlasting victory over sin, death, and eternal judgment.