ROM 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

It is impossible for man to understand God's ways and His judgments.

No one ever has or ever will know the mind of the Lord.  The answer to the rhetorical question, "who hath been his counsellor?" is no one.  God does not get counsel from anyone. 

Sometimes we will see something evil taking place and wonder why God does not send down fiery judgment upon it.  The legalizing of sodomy would be an example. 

But our place is not to second guess God's ways and His judgments.  They are unsearchable. 

Only God sees the beginning from the end.  Only God knows the best way to meet out judgment.  What ever God chooses to do or not to do is for the best. 

If God sends judgment upon someone right away, it is right.  If God delays judgment, it is also right.  God can also withhold judgment until after they die and it would still be right.  Whatever He does is right and we do not have to understand it.  In fact it is impossible for us to understand God's ways.

It is not our place to dwell on it or worry about it.  Our place is to realize that God is on the throne.  We need to have faith in God and let Him handle things.  His wisdom is far beyond us. 

ROM 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

You have to believe in your heart.  There is a difference between a head knowledge and a heart knowledge.  You cannot just believe in your head.  You must believe in your heart.  You must receive Jesus in your heart to be saved.  You must believe that God raised Him from the dead. 

ROM 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Confession with the mouth is a vital part of getting saved.  You need to confess that you are a sinner and that you need to be saved.  You need to confess with your mouth that you believe in Jesus.

ROM 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Calling upon Him is not going to be a problem if you believe on Him. 

ROM 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

There is no difference between men.  All need to be saved the same way.  God will save all that call upon Him. 

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

It truly is whosoever will shall come.  Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

I do hope that you have believed in your heart and not just your head.  I hope that you have confessed to God that you are a sinner and called upon Him to save you. 

If not, do it right now and you have His promise that He will save you. 

ROM 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

Paul says that the Gentiles did not follow after righteousness but they have attained righteousness.  The righteousness of faith. 

ROM 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

Israel followed after the law of righteousness but they did not attain it.  In fact no one can attain it.  No one can live up to God's perfect standard.  Some might get a little closer than others, but all fall far short.

ROM 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

The reason that they failed to attain righteousness is because they sought it by the works of the law and not by faith.  This is also a  stumblingstone to many today. 

ROM 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

The stumbling stone is Jesus.  He is a rock of offence.  Man wants to work his way to heaven because it lifts him up in pride.  He can say look at what I have achieved.  To accept what Jesus did for your salvation, a man has to humble himself.  He must realize that he cannot save himself. 

This goes against the pride of man.  Accepting salvation as a free gift is an offence to man's pride. 

Paul goes on to say that whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 

Someone who gets saved will not be ashamed to say so.  If they are ashamed to speak up, then they are offended by Jesus' salvation.  But the Bible clearly says that those who believe will not be ashamed. 

Only God knows the hearts of men, but if someone is ashamed of salvation, then there is reason to doubt that they ever got saved. 

ROM 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

ROM 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Getting saved makes you a child of God.  This makes you an heir to His kingdom.

But you are not just any heir.  You become a joint-heir with Christ.  That is a wonderful thing.  We cannot even begin to image the things that we will inherit in heaven. 

These verses also tell us that being a child of God does not exempt you from suffering. 

Verse 17 says, "if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

Regardless of what TV preachers say, Christians do suffer.  It is NOT God's will for every Christian to be rich and perfectly healthy.

God does take His children thru trials and sufferings.  God uses suffering in the life of a Christian to do a work in their life. 

When suffering comes into your life, you need to remember verse 18.  

ROM 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

What ever suffering God allows to come into your life is nothing in comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us in heaven. 

Always keep in mind that this life and its sufferings are but a moment in comparison to eternity.

Set your affections on things above.  Keeping your eye on eternity will help you keep your current sufferings in the proper perspective.

In this chapter Paul is talking about how after you are saved you have two natures within you.

When you are saved you receive a new spiritual nature.  But you still have the old sin nature.

Paul says in verse 18 that in his flesh dwelleth no good thing.  And to that I say AMEN.  Our fleshly sin natures (that we must carry around until we die) are no good for nothing.

In this chapter you see the two natures are at war.  They are opposed to each other.  And sometimes the flesh nature wins out.  This explains why sometimes Christians sin.

Paul asks a question about this struggle in verse 24 and then answers it in verse 25.

ROM 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

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

Paul knew that he was not strong enough for this battle alone.  He knew that he needed delivered from it.

And he knew that the only victory over the flesh is through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Only by staying close to Jesus.  Only thru a close walk with Him can you have victory over sin in your life. 

Victory over the flesh is only thru the power of Jesus.

ROM 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

We are saved by grace and not works.  We did not have to be good to get saved.  We are justified by faith. 

So far so good.  But then comes the life that you have to live after salvation.  And here is where Christianity is, in general, a mess today. 

Most Christians today live in sin.  In fact many of them will bring their sinful Rock and Roll music into the house of God.  Or they will drink the devil's brew.  Yep that is a reference to alcohol.  Or they covet more wealth and on and on the list could go.

You tell most modern Christians that they are not to sin and they will start yelling legalism.

They just don't read their Bibles.  Legalism would be working your way to heaven.  That is not what these verses are talking about at all.  These verses are talking about after salvation. 

A Christian is to stay away from sin NOT TO GET SAVED.  A Christian is to say away from sin BECAUSE HE IS ALREADY SAVED.  There is a huge difference.  Staying away from sin after salvation is not legalism.  It is simply God's will for all Christians. 

Read again what the Bible says about this issue.  Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid.

The Bible says God forbid.  That is pretty strong language.  And pretty clear if you ask me. 

God forbids Christians to continue in sin.  And that is the Bible truth on the matter. 

ROM 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

ROM 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

ROM 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Here we see the wonderful depth of the Love of God!  Some men might die for a righteous man or even a good man.  But Jesus died for the ungodly. 

He died for you and for me.  And Jesus died for us while we were yet sinners. 

He did not die for us because we were lovely.  He did not die for us because we deserved it. 

He died for the dirty rotten sinners that we are.  Christ died for the ungodly.  That's us before salvation. 

Jesus loved you enough to die for you even though you were ungodly.

It was not nails that held Jesus on the cross.  It was His love for you that held Him there. 

We should praise Jesus for His Tremendous love each and every day. 

When is the last time that you prayed just to thank Him for dieing for you and paying for your sins?

I am not talking about quickly mentioning it and then moving on to a want list.  I am talking about spending some time in prayer thanking Him for His wonderful love without adding other things.  I am talking about a dedicated prayer.

Could you not spend 15 min. or more?  How about 5?  I dare say if you have any grasp of the depth of God's love for you, that you could spend hours in prayer thanking Him for it. 

Paul closed the door on works in chapter 3.  He showed very clearly that faith saves and not works.  But in Chapter 4 Paul does not stop making his point.  He keeps hammering it home. 

Men's hearts are sinful and filled with pride.  That is why men love works.  It is a prideful thing to believe that you can work your way to heaven.  The pride of man wants to have a part in their salvation.  Sometimes it takes strong and consistent preaching of the word of God to break thru man's pride.  To get a man to humble himself and accept a salvation freely provided for him.  A salvation that he did no works for.  So Paul just keeps hammering it home. 

If you have witnessed to someone, but they don't yet get it.  Just keep hammering away.

ROM 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

In verse two Paul tells us that if Abraham was saved by works, then Abraham would have a right to glory before God.  Paul then says but not before God. 

Abraham could not glory before God because Abraham was saved by faith and not works.

ROM 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

It was Abraham's faith that was counted for righteousness.

ROM 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

Verse 4 is a powerful verse.  If you worked your way to heaven then God would be in debt to you.  If it was of works,  then God would owe you heaven.  God would have to pay off His debt to you by giving you heaven.  But it does not work that way.

ROM 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Verse 5 says to him that worketh NOT.  Instead it is to him that believeth.  It is his faith that is counted for righteousness.

Do you have a repentant saving faith?  Or are you still trying to work your way to heaven?  Are you trying to get God to owe you heaven?  If you are, you are going against what the Bible clearly teaches.  Salvation is by faith and not works.

ROM 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Verse 20 makes it crystal clear that the deeds of the law do not justify anyone.  The purpose of the law was not to save anyone because the law cannot save anyone.  The purpose of the law was to show us that we are sinners in need of saving.

ROM 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Since we cannot be saved by keeping the law Verse 24 tells us how to be saved.  We are justified by His grace.  This grace is offered thru the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.  It is thru Jesus alone.  It is not thru a church.  It is not thru a pope.  Redemption is thru Christ only. 

The verse also tells us that this justification is free.  Free to us that is.  This justification cost God a price.  The price was the very Son of God going to the cross, shedding His blood, and dieing for your sin. 

Verse 28 is the summary of the above verses.

ROM 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Being saved.  Being justified with God is by faith period.  Justification is without the deeds of the law.  You are saved NOT BY WORKS.

Here is a short list of some of the works today that people are trusting in to save them:

• Baptism

• Sacraments

• Mass

• Church Membership

• Being good enough

• Doing all that you can do

• Confirmation

• Your good outweighing your bad

• Marrying more than one wife

• Saying vain repetitious prayers

• Temple rituals

• Going to church on Saturdays

On and on the list could go.  But God's Word makes it clear that you are saved only by a repentant faith in Jesus and that justification is free.

Salvation is Jesus plus nothing.  Jesus plus anything is not salvation but works.

Have you turned from religion and accepted Jesus and Him alone for your salvation with a repentant faith?

The context of this verse is salvation.  The Jews thought that they had more respect from God and they thought that they would be saved just because they were Jews and honored the law.

But God is no respecter of persons.  Every man must be saved the same way.

The rich do not have to do more to get saved and the poor are not given any slack.  Every man whether rich or poor, Jew or Gentile must get saved the same way. 

And that one and only way is thru Jesus.  John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

It does not matter how much good your religion does, God does not respect it.

True Christianity is not a religion.  It is a personal relationship with God.  When you accept Jesus as your savior you are made a son of God.

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

It is called being born again.

Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Have you turned from religion and trusted Jesus to save you?

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ROM 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

ROM 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Something was going on in Rome.  Their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world. 

Now stop and think about it for a moment.  People will not talk about it if nothing was happening.  They obviously had a faith that was worth talking about.  It must have been a working faith.  A type of faith that gets things done. 

And there is a connection in verse 9 that is often overlooked.  Paul was praying for them without ceasing.  There is a connection between prayer and things happening in God's work.

As Christians we are to spend much time in prayer for the work of God and those that are involved in the work of God.

Things were happening in Rome.  Their faith was being talked about all over the world.  And all the while Paul was praying for them.

How much time have you spent this week praying for those that are involved in the work of God?

ACTS 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

And in this last verse Paul says what and how he preached.

Paul preached the kingdom of God.  He preached how to get saved.  I know that there will one day be a literal kingdom.  But today that kingdom is in the hearts of men.  A person gets added to the kingdom when he gets saved.  

Paul also taught those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The main things that are to be preached and taught are first salvation and then all things about Jesus.

There are people who go to what they call churches that never give a clear presentation of the gospel.  That is wrong.  Telling people exactly how to be saved should be a regular occurrence at a church.

Paul also taught all things about Christ.  Many today do not do this either.  Oh they put the name of Jesus in their lessons, but when you look at what they are teaching you find that it is really not about Jesus.  What it really is about is what can I get.  How is God going to bless me and my business.  I call it the health and wealth, tickle the ears crowd.  The focus that this crowd has is all wrong.  There focus is on me.  The focus needs to be on Jesus and not on us.

Paul also tells us how he preached.  He says with all confidence.  That is the way it should be done.  Expounding the word of God should be done with confidence and boldness. 

If a preacher does not have confidence that the Bible is the word of God, then he cannot preach with confidence.  If you believe that there is more than one Bible saying more than one thing, then you cannot have confidence in it for which one is right.  Multiple Bible versions only brings confusion and doubt and not confidence. 

Preachers are to preach like Paul, with confidence.  The weak kneed, man fearing, ear tickling, Bible unbelieving preacher should just step down from the pulpit.

ACTS 27:25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

Here we find Paul in a life threatening storm.  And even in the mist of the storm we find Paul ministering to others.  He was witnessing of his faith.  Paul said "I believe God". 

And Paul's witnessing during the storm had an effect.

ACTS 27:36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

The storm was still raging.  The ship was still in danger.  Yet these men were all of good cheer. 

Paul knew how to behave himself in the storms of life.  He kept witnessing for God and it did make a difference. 

Too many Christians have some storm come their way and then they start complaining.  What they should do is keep in good cheer and witness for God.  People will see God working in your life during the storm if you carry yourself the way God would have you to.

People have been trying to explain away the resurrection for centuries.  But it cannot be explained away. 

Some adhere to the swoon theory.  They say that Jesus only fainted and then the coolness of the tomb awakened Him.

This theory has no merit.  Christ was pierced in the side with a spear and water and blood came out.  The soldier was on the ground and Christ was lifted up on the cross.  So the angle of the spear would have been upward.  It would have been at an angle that would have pierced the heart.  The heart has a sack of water surrounding it.  This sack works as a shock absorber for the heart.  This sack is were the water came from that came out of the wound with the blood.  No one has a spear tear thru this sack of water and the heart and recover.

Christ really did die.  He literally died.  He had the blood drained from His heart.

He rose again three days later.  Referring to this Paul asks a question.  Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

Paul is trying to get this man to understand that it is nothing for God to raise the dead. 

The God that created all things out of nothing.  The God that brought life into existence in the first place can raise the dead with only a thought.  It is no effort for Him at all.

There is no reason to try to explain away the resurrection, and the resurrection cannot be explained away. 

ACTS 25:3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

Here we go again.  Someone who believes in works salvation trying to kill someone who believes salvation is a free gift (which is what the Bible teaches).

This has been taking place since Cain killed Abel.

We see this not only in the Bible but also in history.  The Catholics (who believe in works salvation) killed millions and millions of people who believed in salvation by grace.  They were called by many different names and lived in many different countries but they were all murdered by the Catholics for the same reason.  They refused a false works based salvation. 

This went on for hundreds and hundreds of years. 

This brutality alone should be enough to convince you which system is right, works or grace.  You will never see in History grace believers murdering works believers.

And that is your only two choices.  All religions can be placed in either the camp of works or the camp of grace. 

And often in history we see the works crowd persecuting the people of grace.  And it is not going to stop until Jesus comes back.

Oh, I know that the Catholics have stopped it recently. 

But it is just picked up by others.  Most commonly today it is the Muslims. 

It has been this way since Cain and it will keep happening until Jesus comes back.

Now before you misunderstand me.  I know that not every one that believes in works kills those that believe in grace. 

The point that I am making is that the works system does breed those that kill true believers, whereas the grace system NEVER does.

Why?

The answer is simple.  Satan is the inventor and propagator of the work your way to heaven false religious systems.  The Bible says that Satan was a murder from the beginning.

Satan hates God, and Satan hates God's born again saved by grace Christians.  So it should be no surprise that some that are in Satan's work your way to heaven religious systems would take on Satan's murderous attitude.