What would you say to someone you were not going to talk to again for four centuries? What final words of wisdom would you leave with them? After six condemnations of Israel, God ends the message of Malachi with a charge and a promise. He commands the people to remember the law – the very […]
It makes sense that a people who do not care about honoring God with their sacrifices and tithes do not think much about coming judgment. It also makes sense that people who treat worship as an afterthought and have a low view of God do not understand that justice delayed is not justice in doubt. […]
This portion of scripture has been called the Christian’s Triumph Song because it shows in ultimate terms that victory belongs to the redeemed. As believers we sometimes forget to step back from the day-to-day trials and discouragements that make up life in a fallen world and remember that our biggest problem has been solved. We […]
In our earlier study of verses 12-13 we said that the answer to the question of who is responsible for our sanctification, God or us, is ‘yes.’ We both have responsibility. We are responsible for choosing to live according to the Spirit, but we never live alone if we’re in the Spirit and we can’t […]
The Christian life is a study in contrasts. We live in the world but aren’t of it. We’re redeemed children free from sin’s authority who fight sin every day. We walk in the power of the Spirit who indwells us in a body of death that fights against us. We have faith in the eternal […]
Paul continues to explain the privileges of living in the Spirit. In light of God’s power available to us we are under obligation to live according to the Spirit. Being under obligation shows that we have a role in our sanctification but we also know we’re never without the Spirit’s leading and our Father’s presence […]
Paul uses truths from the whole of his argument in Chapters 5-7 to launch into one of the greatest and most encouraging sections of scripture in all the Bible. He celebrates our privileges and responsibilities in light of our justification by faith and life in the Spirit. We both live in Christ and have Christ’s […]
