2Cor.6:11-13 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. (12) Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. (13) Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
In the passage above, Paul is urging the Corinthians to be more open and receptive to his message. He expresses his affection and fatherhood towards them, desiring to bless and educate them, but points out that their hearts are closed and restricting them from fully receiving his teachings. Paul emphasizes that the restriction is not from his side but from their own hearts and attitude, and he encourages them to open up and respond to the love and openness he has shown, so that he can speak to them without limitations and have them receive the truth he could provide.
We have come to a point in Romans where this same open heartedness and faith is necessary to fully benefit from what Paul is going to teach us. We are about to step up in spirit. We are about to go into deeper spiritual truth. We are going to start receiving information that requires our obedience and our commitment if we are to advance in our Christian walk and in our faith. Is your heart enlarged? Make sure that in no way are you restricted in your reception of the inspired truth that Paul is about to give.
We have spent time in Romans 1 to 5 concerning justification, the first part of salvation, and utterly saturated in God’s grace. If it were not for God’s grace, and the work of Christ done through grace, we as believers, would have no chance to be recipients of salvation. All the way through Romans 1 to 5, Paul has mentioned the grace of God in the gospel of His Son and our absolute dependency upon it. As a reminder, here are the verses concerning ‘grace’ in Romans 5,
The primary topic of Romans 1 to 5 is justification, or as I also describe it by saying, “Just as if I never sinned”. Justification is a positional salvation, meaning that we do not experience this salvation in this natural realm or at this time. We are justified, imputed with the righteousness of Christ, and fully and permanently saved by God’s decree and by the cross work of Christ from a heavenly perspective, but justification does nothing to our flesh! Though our souls are eternally saved when we believe in Christ, our flesh and our lives here on earth do not change or get affected one iota. Another way we can understand this salvation is that we are placed in Christ, as confirmed by a myriad of verses, with the following being a sample of the many,
1 Cor 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
1 Cor 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God —and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
Col 2:10 ...and you are complete in Him [Christ], who is the head of all principality and power.
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
In contrast to positional (heavenly) salvation and being in Christ, Romans 6 to 8 deals with sanctification which is a conditional, or functional salvation. This means that after justification, our salvation continues to develop or grow and eventually starts to affect or influence our natural condition, functioning within us towards the outside and manifesting outwardly into the world. Through justification we are placed IN CHRIST, but sanctification is more appropriately understood as CHRIST IN US; His life being formed within us through the power of the written Word of God, influencing our thoughts, reasoning, speech, actions, and behaviours, to the degree that we give ourselves over in obedience to it. Here are a few confirming verses,
The core of your faith and of Christian living is based upon what's in your mind. Are you operating in a mind that is renewed by the Word of God and based on the principles of spiritual wisdom and truth or are you still functioning with a darkened mind that is based upon worldly knowledge and vanity? That's quite a contrasting picture, not so. Well, let me confirm this with two contrasting scriptures in the epistle of Ephesians that says the same thing.
Eph 4:17-20 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in THE VANITY OF THEIR MIND, (18) Having the understanding DARKENED, being alienated from the life of God through the IGNORANCE that is in them, because of the BLINDNESS of their heart: (19) Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (20) But ye have not so learned Christ;
Paul writes, but you have not so learned Christ. What is it to learn Christ? Well, if the above statement is being without Christ in edification, then what is it to learn Christ? Paul already provided the answer to this question in chapter 1:
Eph 1:17-19 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the KNOWLEDGE of him: (18) The eyes of your UNDERSTANDING being ENLIGHTENED; that ye MAY KNOW what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (19) And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
The epistle of Romans is the foundation of our faith. Several times in chapters 6 to 8, Paul asks the reader if they know certain things:
- Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
- Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
- Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
- Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
- Rom 7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
- Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
- Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Until you know these things, you are not educated or walking in the principles that stablish your faith and empower you to yield in obedience unto righteousness, delivering you from sin and fruitlessness, Rom 6:16-17.
Your post about rightly dividing prophecy from mystery reminds me of a story about 6 blind men arguing about what an elephant was like. the poem, “The Blind Men and the Elephant” by John Saxe. In the poem, each blind man had grabbed a different part of the elephant and was vigorously defending his position. The man who had the leg declared the elephant was like a tree, the one who had the ear said he was like a fan, the one who had the trunk asserted he was like a snake, and so forth. So too, Christians can grab different verses in the New Testament and begin arguing—as if the Bible could contradict itself. That is not how to establish truth in the Christian world. The Bible is God-breathed and does not contradict itself. God’s people are to “rightly handle,” the Word and the words in it, and not wage useless word battles with them. The Bible can be wrongly believed and taught, and it can also be wrongly used as a weapon against other people.
Thanks for your input. I have no doubt that many denominational churches today handle the Word incorrectly, twisting the Word to fit their church creed or traditions instead of truly studying the Word to find out what God’s will and purpose for the Body of Christ truly is. Thus, your analogy is true for people who take parts of God’s Word and change it fit their purpose and views, essentially creating it into something like what you describe with the elephant's anatomy.
It helps when we look to Jesus Christ daily to help us lay
aside every weight (provision for the flesh) as well as the sin in walking in
the light in fellowship with the Father & the Son. Especially in our
thoughts, we need to lean on Him to stop the wicked thoughts and stop playing
with desires in our minds to think on good things.
Thanks for your informed comment and its advice. I do want
to react on a specific phrase in your comment which I believe is important to
understand in the context of ‘looking to Jesus daily’.
Your comment says, “when we look to Jesus Christ daily…”
How do we ‘look to Jesus’? This phrase typically means that we follow or imitate Christ according to what He has taught us in scripture. In other words, we don’t look to Jesus by following traditions or ordinances, nor by being molded to a specific church creed or identity. No. We look to Jesus by looking into His Word. The only way we can grow in Him, learn of Him, and become like Him, is to study His Word and allow it to change our mind and our actions in accord to obedience to it.
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Before I mention some insights about our
key verse above, I’d like you to read the passage below, taking note of the
name of the doctrine and the timing of its revelation,
Rom 16:25 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:
The content of Paul’s 13-epistles makes up the ‘MYSTERY’ doctrine for the grace believer today, 1Cor 4:1; Eph 3:3-4. According to Rom 16:25 above, the mystery doctrine was kept secret since the world began, BUT NOW has been made manifest for our consumption. This doctrine was not intended for other dispensations but was designed for the delivery of pure grace to us through Christ and was targeted exclusively for a spiritual body with a heavenly purpose.
We have determined that Romans chapter 6 is an incredibly important, mile-marker chapter. It sets a strong precedent for a believer who is committed to learning and living the mystery doctrine. After telling us that through faith in the gospel of grace, we have justification and access to the grace of God, Paul immediately gets into the details of what we should know, and how we should start to think. He places a responsibility upon us to learn a few things which are intended to renew our pattern of thought, things that will help us to understand our new position in Christ, and spiritual truths that will become cornerstones within the foundation he will lay throughout Romans.
Having informed us that we are dead to sin,
Paul enlightens us of our relationship with the law. There are a few surprises
in store for the uninformed reader.
Rom 6:15-17 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. (16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (17) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
SPIRITUAL LESSONS
Paul uses that statement again, “God
forbid!” He is cautioning you not to think carnally. We cannot reason
spiritual truth in a carnal mind. We must consider what we are being taught
from our new positional stance with God, through Jesus Christ.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Paul tells us that if we truly believe in Jesus Christ by hearing and responding to the grace gospel, we are freely justified by the ‘decree’ of God, and we can have peace with God, and access to the grace that He provides, Rom 5:1-2.
Through faith in the gospel of grace, we are transferred from the administration of death, which is in Adam, into the administration of life, which is in Christ. When we belong to Christ’s administration, we are now identified with righteousness, peace, and life, as Paul continues to tell us,
Rom 5:17-19 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) (18) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
All this activity happens the moment God saves us. We do not feel anything new. We do not sense anything different. Nothing changes in our flesh or in our mind. What has changed has all happened in the spiritual realm. We have a new relationship to God. We are identified in Christ. We are sealed into the family of God. We know this and believe this because the written Word tells us.
So, what now? If I’m saved in my spirit, what happens to my life here on earth? What happens in my circumstances? What do I do from here on?
Rom 16:25 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 [doctrine], 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:
The above passage is one of my favourites
in all of Paul’s writings. It is essentially a very short summary of the book
of Romans, but more importantly, it provides a condensed list of instructions
that provide a grace believer with stability in their faith and walk. Let me
briefly analyse this passage.
Start this post series from the beginning, here.
Keep in mind that this post is a small part of a greater study. To understand this part in its proper context, one must evaluate it based on the full context of the whole study.
We are advancing through the understanding of the second cornerstone of the Romans foundation. This cornerstone deals with God’s grace, and this post follows the understanding that grace starts with justification. What is justification? It is the absolute salvation of a person by the grace of God through their faith in Jesus Christ. The following verse puts justification in a perfect summary,
Rom 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
These 9 epistles, from Hebrews to Revelation represents a spiritual curriculum for the maturing and endurance of believers in the Jewish Kingdom program, through the tribulation, and into the Millennial Kingdom.
There's a methodical process of edification that occurs in Paul's epistles, taking you from the wrath of God in the book of Romans, to the faithful Body of Christ in Thessalonians who are patiently waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ to come. From Romans to Thessalonians, the whole outlook of life and faith has changed.
Rom.1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
2 Thess.3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. 5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
