Romans

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,  which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,  concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh  and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
                                                                                           (Romans 1:1-7 ESV)
I getting ready to preach through Romans in September, so I've been reading this incredible piece of literature a great deal... The book of Romans is compelling.. refreshing .. convicting. I can see Paul deep in prayer and in thought as he writes this.. Probably in Corinth.. In a quite room.. He and the Lord. I pray that God will teach me and strengthen me as I study and teach it.. Even more I want Him to change me. Pray this happens. 
There are many ways to explain the purpose of Romans in a concise statement, but from what I've read so far, Christopher Ash has said it best: "The purpose of Romans is the glory of God seen in a united missionary church humbled together under grace."  Christopher Ash, Romans, Vol.One,  Proclamation Trust, Scotland, Great Britain, 2009 pg. 37

What is true of Christ is more important to me than what is true of me

“God has provided for your perfect deliverance from sin in Christ. Everything needed for this purpose was finished by him on the cross. He was your surety. He suffered for you. Your sins were crucified with him and nailed to his cross. They were put to death when he died, for he was your covenant-head, and you, as a member of his body, were legally represented by him and are indeed dead to sin by his dying to sin once.
The law has now no more right to condemn you, a believer, than it has to condemn him. Justice is bound to deal with you as it has with your risen and ascended Savior.”
William Romaine, The Life, Walk and Triumph of Faith (Cambridge, 1970), page 280.

Funeral of a Friend

I was honored yesterday to conduct the funeral service of a great friend of mine for many years.
I am overjoyed that I will see her again and this time with no affliction! This quote from Peter Kreeft put things in perspective for me:

 “Now suppose both death and hell were utterly defeated.  Suppose the fight was fixed.  Suppose God took you on a crystal ball trip into your future and you saw with indubitable certainty that despite everything — your sin, your smallness, your stupidity — you could have free for the asking your whole crazy heart’s deepest desire: heaven, eternal joy.  Would you not return fearless and singing?  What can earth do to you, if you are guaranteed heaven?  To fear the worst earthly loss would be like a millionaire fearing the loss of a penny — less, a scratch on a penny.”
Peter Kreeft, Heaven (San Francisco, 1989), page 183.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God - This song still gets me...

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing: For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; His craft and pow’r are great, and, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing, Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing: Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same, And He must win the battle. And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us; The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him. That word above all earthly pow’rs, no thanks to them, abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth; Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever..  1529 - Martin Luther

Listen and Believe

Great quote from Gerhard Forde from Ray Ortlund's blog :

“We are justified freely, for Christ’s sake, by faith, without the exertion of our own strength, gaining of merit, or doing of works.  To the age-old question, ‘What shall I do to be saved?’ the confessional answer is shocking: ‘Nothing!  Just be still; shut up and listen for once in your life to what God the Almighty, creator and redeemer, is saying to his world and to you in the death and resurrection of his Son!  Listen and believe!’”
Gerhard O. Forde, Justification by Faith (Philadelphia, 1983), page 22.