45Rom005.mp3
Commentary
Today I need to take notes as I go along in the scriptures. The Lord is so strong in me right now, I feel like the Word is erupting, even from the marrow of my bones. The revelation is just pouring out, and expanding within me, and before me. I am engulfed in the presence of the Lord. The very first verse brings much to be discussed. Currently, I have been learning about faith, joy and the service of the Lord. Now, I'm to understand that I am justified by faith. That is to say, I am justified by doing the work of the Lord, faith without works is dead, as a body without life is dead. This first scripture automatically acknowledges that this state of being can only have occurred via the sacrifice of Jesus, the Christ. Such a violent and gruesome experience, and yet... that's the way to peace.
So often it seems that the Word of the Lord is so backwards from all that we know and are used to. The reality is, we are so accustomed to that way of the "lost world" that it is US that is backwards, and it is the Word of the Lord that is straight and forward, and will align us, too if we are hearers AND doers of what is written. I need also to say, the Word isn't just only written... it is living and therefore it is progressive and yet, still complete. You see, as the Word sweeps into and through a persons life, complete restoration begins to occur. This process need not be instant, so as the recipient can't even explain his experiences... not so, dear reader. To God be all the glory! He will want you to understand completely so you can tell everyone in a very clear way, what you had experienced and are currently experiencing as a result of the hand of the Lord. God had never been mysterious or aloof. He is overt, not at all covert.
In verse two, we have three primary, or "active" ingredients: faith, grace and glory. Lets look at these three, even before grasping the concept of the passage of scripture. I want to see the literal definition before I know how it will be applied in context. Faith, as we know it, is the substance of things hoped for.. I hope to see the mission the Lord has for me. I hope to see a son of my flesh, healthy and passionate about the Lord. I hope to bring many to the alter of repentance. I hope for total restoration in my own life. The substance of this hope is the outward manifestation from my inward drive. In other words, because all I think about is the mission the Lord has given me, I see it in all I do. Even what I do daily can easily compliment and support my God given mission. The substance is the circumstances and the accumulation of resources that support the cause.
Faith is also the evidence of thing we can't physically see. So, with the substance all around and in us, the evidence is the result of all this new direction, and/or activity. So, faith is a forming of new patterns and resources, and the result of these patterns and resources. In practical terms it means, I met that millionaire some time ago. I didn't quite understand why we would gravitate toward each other, seeing we have little in common. The Lord is at work here. Suddenly the millionaire shares his ambition to do something for the Lord, and all the while, the Lord is developing a vision in me, aligned with what the millionaire has in his heart. This is the move of the Lord. It is substance and it is evidence. Evident and substantial. That sounds like an accurate description of the very nature of God, evident and substantial.
So much so far, from only the first two verses. The Lord is moving in a mighty way this morning. Okay, we know that grace means that we have unmerited favor. We didn't deserve it, but we got it like that, anyway. God favors us, even though we come home very dirty in His spotless house. So far, the substance and evidence of our hope brings us to our undeserved refuge and delivery, in Him and by Him. All of this, for the very hope of His glory. Even just the hope of the Glory of God is better than ALL that IS created and made.
Almost all of the worlds' definitions of what glory is... are all short of what glory IS. See, the world wants to say that glory is the renown or honor won by notable achievements. God wants us to know, His achievements are not merely notable, they are absolutely essential for our preservation, our survival, our existence. God gave us a free will to love Him. those who choose to, will be in His glory by the worlds way of explaining it. However, God is much, much more than simple glory. He's not just the renown, or reputation... God IS that which had occured. God IS the miracle, not just the renown from it! Entering in the glory of God is exactly the same as entering God, Himself! In Him, we see the glory! In Him we demonstrate His power. In Him is constant prayer, and being about His business of saving, delivering and healing... and resulting in life more abundant. I can go on, but I feel the need to continue from here...
I have to stop in verse 14, because it mentions "the similitude of Adam's transgression". That means we "copy" Adam's sins when we are described this way. In a simple way, it is said that we "partake of the forbidden fruit" when we "copy Adam's sin". This verse says that even those who have not made a conscience decision to sin, is still in sin, as is every human being from the time Adam did transgress. This means, without God, we are hopeless and lost to death. Its been that way even before, but it didn't need to be implemented this way until after Adam did his thing. You do know that God did forgive Adam, right? Sure He did. He will forgive everyone, especially when you appeal to His mercy with a heart of repentance. Even though God did forgive Adam, the curse is still here. Even though Adam found mercy in the grace of God, the result, the consequence is still as real as its cause.
Verse 15 makes very clear and very easy to understand the balance between Good and evil. You see, because of Adam's sin, even if we don't do what he had done, we are still under that curse... we are still bound in its consequence, or result. The sacrifice of Jesus, the Christ had brought into being the exact opposite effect on all mankind. As Adam had sinned once for the whole world to bear... so had Jesus died for that sin, once and for all for all mankind. All the sin that exists is a variant form of the original sin. All that is good and whole in our conception capacity is a variant form all that one sacrifice. Even though Adam came first chronologically, Jesus was and is, even before the Earth was formed. Adam was made in the form of Jesus, not the other way around. We were formed in the image of God, in the likeness of God. Our ways parted at the "Adam Bomb". That's when things started getting turned around backwards. What we think is backwards is in many cases the right way, the God way, the only way. Don't be fooled by a form of Godliness that denies the power thereof. If it ain't producing results, its a counterfeit form of "godliness". Know it by its fruit.
I had not finished reading, and listening to the chapter, but I am prompted to end my commentary for this session, at this time, at this point. Next time I pass this way, I will add more insight, as the Lord leads me. Please take the time to leave comments from what you had learned in this chapter. Let the Word come alive in you.. in Jesus' name.
Saturday, May 12th, 2010, 9:05am
