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| Day 80 Part 2 Freedom, Sovereignty, and Christian Living |
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 This is a continuation of this blog
Freedom
If we have died with Christ and have been raised with Him from the dead (baptised), we are freed from sin and are enslaved to God (Rom. 6:17-22). The sin that used to bind us has been put to death and we are free! The wonderful thing about being freed from sin and enslaved to God is that we now have sanctification and eternal life! We are now free to present oursleves "to God as those alive from the dead" and our members as "instruments of righteousness"(v.13) because we are no longer under Law but grace (v.14). When we were enslaved to sin what we earned was death (wages), but when God freed us He gave us eternal life (free gift). 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Isn't God amazing? instead of giving of what we earned (death), He gave us a gift we could never earn (eternal life/salvation).
In chapter 7 Paul compares a woman who marries after her husband has died to what God did for us by freeing us from the law. While the woman's husband was still alive, she could not marry another without being guilty of adultery, so we could not be freed from the Law until we died "through the body of Christ" and then we could be untied with God "in order that we might bear fruit" (v.4).
In the second half of Romans chapter 7 and the beginning of chapter 8 we see the conflict between our old nature (flesh) and our new nature (spirit). When we sin the Law shows us how terrible our sin is by condemning us to death, but because of Christ's sacrifice "the law of the Spirit of Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death" (8:2). 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 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. Praise God that He sees our flesh as dead and our spirits as alive to Him!
Sovereignty
God's sovereignty is amazing. It is so humbling to know that God called me out of my sin and through no help from me has secured my salvation. The scripture speaks for itself on this matter. 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. 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 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. Praise God that He is conforming me to the image of His Son!
(For further reading on the soveriegnty of God, read chapter 9 of Romans :-))
Chapter 11 tells us of the future salvation of the nation of Israel. 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but [rather] through their fall salvation [is come] unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
The nation of Israel has the calling of God upon it and they are still "His people whom He foreknew." Paul tells us that the "gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." Thats a pretty strong word! 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable [are] his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Christian Living
Chapters 12-14 tell us how we ought to be living because of the gospel at work in us. Don't be conformed, be transformed! This is what being transformed will look like.
12:9 [Let] love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 12:10 [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 12:16 [Be] of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
What would the church today look like if we lived out these words? I'm not going into chapters 13 or 14 because they seem to naturally flow from chapter 12. If we get chapter 12 down, we will be able to do chapters 13 and 14.
There are so many more topics I could go into and would be glad to if you would like me to get into something else...just let me know :-)
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Norm |
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September 05, 2007 at 8:28pm |
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So taking a complete left turn (well not complete) Overall, how have you found the Bible in 90 Days? How long do you find that it takes to do 12 pages? And is it just 12 pages? So you could do this with any Bible, although I imagine instead of 12 page you'd actually want to take a look at how many pages your Bible has and divide by 90. Does it provide questions/study or are you on your own there? And maybe you've answered this before, but I have no idea where I would look without digging through all 80+ previous days. |
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Norm...it usually takes me about 45 minutes to read through the reading for that particular day. Overall it has been a very good thing for me to read the Bible this way. I'm able to keep a better overall image of what the scripture is saying. It's not as in depth this way, but its better for remembering where everything is. I started out using the 90 day Bible that I've linked in all of my blogs thus far, but now I use my wide margin NASB. I don't follow the reading plan exactly because the way they have it set up leaves you stopping in awkward spots sometimes. I always go on to the end of the last chapter that I start for that day. I don't have any questions or sudy guides that accompany my reading but Zondervan has put a curriculum together for small groups to use while doing the program. You can get the links to all my other blogs on my profile page. Turn off your speakers before you visit it though...I have loud music :-) |
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Norm |
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September 05, 2007 at 8:47pm |
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Yeah I know. ;) I knew you had links there. I just wasn't sure that anywhere you stated what you thought of the overall experience. From the sounds of it you've gone through this before? (The 90 day program that is) |
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Sorry...I thought that you were asking something you obviously weren't. This is the first time I've done the 90 day thing, but I've done the through-the-Bible-in-a-year program before. Its actually taken me a lot longer than 90 days as I'm sure you would be able to tell by going to look at day 1. I'm a slacker...but I'll still be done faster than a year. |
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Norm |
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September 05, 2007 at 8:58pm |
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| Shhhh... I was thinking it might have been taking longer, but on the other hand just because it shows up on here as taking longer than 90 days, I would have no idea if that's the actual time it took to read it, just when you had a chance to comment on it. ;) |
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| lol...guess I shoulda kept my big mouth shut...oh well |
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Norm |
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September 05, 2007 at 9:08pm |
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So while we're on it (and since the secret seems to be out), what do you find the best way to take notes? I'm reading into your statement that you probably do this close to immediately after doing your reading, which may be a mistake, but I've got to start somewhere, right? As a "slow" thinker, I have trouble taking notes in general. I like to mull things over and that typically doesn't lend itself to writing things down immediately. That isn't just true with the Bible, I had the same thing in school. Actually unless the assignment was to take notes or I was attempting to try it because someone suggested it was a good idea (again) I didn't take notes. Now again I'm feeling like I should be taking notes, but can't figure out a "comfortable" style in doing so. So I'm open to suggestions. |
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| I usually I do my writing soon after I read. Almost always the same day at least. As far as notes go, I usually just underline scriptures that I want to reference or I put a star by it if it is more like a paragraph or something. Just putting some kind of reminder next to the scripture usually jogs my memory enough to write about why I put that mark there. I occasionally write some notes in the margin if there has been some kind of pattern that I have seen in the scripture. I too like to think about things before I write anything down but sometimes I will lose my thought if I don't do something immediately. I have lots of scriptures underlined that I haven't said anything about in my blogs...sad. I guess its okay though...if I wrote about everything I underlined my blogs would be very long indeed :-) |
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