#22 Romans by Chuck Missler

while we're in session 22 of 24 so we're getting near the end we're in chapter 14 of the Epistle to the Romans and trying to just get a summary thing here we'll just call it Christian maturity as you may recall the first eight chapters are doctrinal about sin salvation and sanctification and the next for chapter three chapters were dispensational the past present and future of Israel and so we're now in the third major section what some people might call the practical session first one was doctor or the faith section the second session was the dispensational one might call it hope and this would be called love it's sort of at the this third session answers the so what question so what does it got to do with us huh so in that when I'm worried last time we went through chapter 13 we're now moving into chapter 14 which for lack of another thing I'll try to summarize back on Christian maturity very interesting couple of verses right up front in Romans 14 him that is weak in the faith receive ye but not to doubtful disputations for one believeth that he may eat all things another who is weak eateth herbs don't miss what he's saying here he's talked about two people one strong and ones weak in the faith one of these only eats herbs a vegetarian okay who's the weaker in the faith vegetarian see the one that is following self-imposed rules is the weaker in the faith is it people miss that the person that is strong in the faith understands he has a Liberty he shouldn't use that Liberty to ill ends but he has Liberty in Christ this is going to come up throughout here this basic idea and people may miss that of us receive he means present tense middle imperative keep on taking to yourselves but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions you forget the idea so yes he's weaker but don't you're not there to dispute that you're not there to change his perceptions notice the ones a week is the one that's burdened with external rules were free of those let not him that eateth despise him that he is not let not him which he is not judge him that eateth forgot earth receive him so whether you you're dealing some kosher non kosher or whatever don't don't that that God will receive it either way now this could also be alluding to here the the to ensure not eating meat offered to idols this is particularly in the Corinthian letter a big issue because the meat that you buy at the market had been offered before a pagan idol and that doesn't bother you eat it if it bother you don't eat it because if it bothers you and you eat it oh you're sinning you'll see a little tricky who art thou that judgest another man's servant to his own master he standeth or falleth yea he shall be holding up for God is able to make him stand the serpent here is not the doulos term the usual term for slave it's orchid eros it's really one who's in the same house it's a domestic servant a different sense here don't judge another man's servant that's not your job either I'm reminded of Mahatma Gandhi they asked him what was the biggest obstacle to Christianity in India it says Christians the behavior of Christians the judgmental and self-righteous pride is a stumbling block to many of us all of us one man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind figure out that some make a big thing of certain holidays others know it's up to you don't judge well now wait a minute about Sabbath days now we'll get to that one what about other holy days and it's going to come up in verse 14 and 22 before it again and again saying what about the Sabbath day you know we've got a big thing going on especially with the Christians who get enamored with the Messianics you discover you you start discovering some of the Jewishness of the Bible is because it really is exciting there's a lot of discoveries to be made and from that you get caught up in some of this and you get confronted with anywhere were you supposed to keep the Sabbath thing well we're not under the law did everything you do with the law oh really now by the way let me just before I start mention something anyone that thinks this is a simple issue hasn't studied it the more you study it the more complicated it gets the Sabbath is an Israeli thing is it really it was ordained long before there was an Israel remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy the Ten Commandments it isn't instituted the tenth commandment is reminding you there the Sabbath shows up in Exodus 16 when the manna was coming down they gathered man out of six days but not the seventh because that was Sabbath that's Exodus 16 the law wasn't given until Exodus 20 whoops that's interesting let's back up a second how many of each animal did Noah take to the ark two let's head again seven of the clean and two of the unclean right how many knew that good question is how did Noah know how did no one know what was cleaning unclean that's Exodus that's Genesis chapter six and seven apparently clean and unclean were established in Eden they're codified in Leviticus you know centuries later okay see the Sabbath day was ordained in Eden in Genesis chapter two not X is 20 justice to the seventh day was hallowed in the creation week that's pretty early okay see we've lost sight of what the Sabbath's all about God wanted a day that was for their or our benefit it's for us not him we were to honor him on it yes it by the way was the seventh day of the week Sunday is not the seventh day of the week sunday is the first day of the week Sabbath is well we honor seventh and sunny Sabbath means seventh day what about the New Testament that's all that's all that Jewish stuff that's fine Jesus custom was to attend the synagogue on the Sabbath he honored the Sabbath while he was Jewish okay he taught the authority and validity of the Old Testament law all through there his emphasis was not on the external observance of the law but on the spontaneous performance of the will of God which I'm to lay the law fair enough there were six conflicts he defended his disciples for plucking grain on the Sabbath day by alluding to the time when David his men were fleeing for their lives and ate the showbread at a tabernacle that's back you know back there in the Old Testament he remind his critics the priests of the temple profane the Sabbath and were held guiltless in Matthew 12 he referred to circumcising a male in the Sabbath day these are all violations aren't they he expressed anger over those at Capernaum who showed more concern for punctilious observance and Sabbath than for human being who was deprived of his hand remember when he did the healings also rebuked the ruler of the synagogue who became indignant when he healed a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for 18 years he healed my Sabbath day and he was upset why main point is he's asserting his lordship over the Sabbath the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath that's his point Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath so that's the Christians excuse to be disconnected from the law okay what about the Christian are they supposed to curse and supposed to keep the Ten Commandments that's good question we could have a rousing debate here that would go all night long we started on that one here open the hand Paul makes it clear that we are not bound by the law that was what Romans 7 was all about we just went through all that Jesus primarily preached on the Sabbath day but not always seven times he heals on the Sabbath to make the point that Sabbath was made for man and these are the seven ones we have to go through each one of these but there were seven healings on the Sabbath well Jesus always healed on the Sabbath no he didn't he'd also healed on a non Sabbath day and Mark one and maybe elsewhere it was not God's intent to prevent us from doing good on the Sabbath day that part's pretty obvious okay he relegated Sabbath to the ceremonial law Jesus used the example of David and his men invading the temple as an example when they were flee for their lives well we keep the Sabbath day on Sunday no no no no Sunday is first eighty seven the seventh day and can you show me that in Scripture show me the scripture where Sabbath was changed to the first day of the week the claim is that the early Christians worshiped on the first day week in honor of the resurrection no problem that okay fine well they mentioned next 16 you know the first day of the week let everyone lay by him in store read the rest of the verse so it wouldn't be a collection when I'm with you know first day week because when he was there they worship on Saturday you'd want all that going on Saturday the next day people that used that verse to defend it is end up Sunday the first day week not the seventh now there are all kinds of views on this you can spend a lot of library time on all the different views throughout history on this issue none of these things are worthy of dividing fellowship over because we're not under the law in the first place the law was a yoke of bondage from which the Christian had been set free is the main theme of Galatians the whole book of Galatians hammers that Paul made no distinction between moral and ceremonial law it was all part of the Old Covenant which was done away in Christ said cringes 3 in other places those ordinances were nailed to the cross in Colossians 2 the handwriting of ordinance that was against us paid in full was stamped across them in effect the Sabbath festivals are declared to me only a shadow of what is to come there is by the way so it will pick this up next chapter 4 paul says whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning so that we through the patience come from the Scriptures might have hope one of the great joys you'll have in your Bible studies to discover the wonderful lessons that are behind each there each of the Jewish festivals in the Old Testament the seven feasts of Moses much to learn there much to learn about the Sabbath and what it really means it what it really celebrates to observe the days months and seasons and years is to be slaves to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits there's a difference between understanding enjoying and even celebrating in contrast to being under the law there's a big big difference don't put yourself back in bondage it's the main preachment of paul the observance of days is a characteristic of the man who is weak in the faith that's Paul's point in those first six verses of Romans 14 it the people who are rigorous in keeping all those things have a less of the faith than the person that's free in Christ that sounds backwards but it that's that's that's the whole point verse 6 he that regardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord and He that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doeth not regarding he that eateth eateth the Lord for he giveth God thanks he that eateth or not to the Lord eateth not and giveth God thanks you don't need kosher food fine you're a Jew need pork great can a Jew eat a ham sandwich that's up to him if it is important for us to worship on Saturday Paul would have told us though he was a Pharisee he never tells us to do that doesn't mean we can't enjoy Shabbat with our friends we enjoy a Shabbat service and Spokane as our our weekly thing we're never around enough on weekends to be a reliable church remember anyway so we do our little thing with some Jewish friends that it's a wonderful time wonderful time but we're not under the law ourselves let no man therefore judge you in meat this is Colossians we're switching to let no man judge therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of any holyday or of the new moon or of the sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ precious versus so whatever else we learn about the Sabbath don't let it become an onerous burden that's not the point that's not what it's about the Sabbath day itself is a prophetic idiom that is exemplified in Hebrews chapter four and that's that's a whole study in its own right because Christ is our Sabbath it's intended to teach some lessons about entering into God's rest and that's a whole issue of Christian maturity that he gets the capstone in Hebrews chapter four interesting thing about prophecies let's stand back and know what's going to happen because the Christian world's used to work for worship on Sunday did you know that in the temple in the Millennium it's closed on Sunday it's only open on Shabbat and the new moon is equal forty six and following the gate to the inner Court is closed six days opened on the Sabbath and on the day of the new moon this is the Millennium Christ you set up his kingdom and I got a surprise for you it's Jewish there Memorial there's also gonna be sacrifices Wow Sabbath's will continue as a basis for worship and the Millennium is the real point Isaiah 66 the nations will come up to worship to Jerusalem on Sabbath and on the Feast of Tabernacles the Sabbath is an intrinsic part of the creation especially of man that's the point and the more you can understand about the creation if you feel drawn to acknowledge and remember the Sabbath day praise God but you're still not under the law and people say well Chuck what do you do I'll have a Liberty in Christ I can do it like what nan and I do from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown it's Shabbat and what we attempt to do is set that time aside not with any we try to do this when you study the Word of God there's other things I feel like studying I post along to do those I'm not that's that study the Word of God we've meditating right and we depart from whatever our normal routines are that's what we do from Friday night to say anything we've resolved to do that whatever we do do we do together we may go to a movie may go biking whatever it is we do together the third row is the important one no other rules that's the way we deal with it yes we try to honor the Sabbath day this way we in we get we don't matter the loss not an obligation in the sense of a legal requirement it's time that got a set-aside if he has an appointment you got to keep it that's sort of the attitude you know Romans 14 verse 7 for none of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself for whether we live or we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lord's all things belong to the Lord and sanctioned by him and the scriptures full of those admonitions and a believers individual accountability to the Lord in every area and experience of life this paramon every Christian and both life and death is seen by Lord and his accountable damned not to other Christians we need to remember that so whether we never died we belong to him to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the Dead and the living see these verses Paul states the theological basis for his expectation for Christian duty the assist from and resists judging one another is better live your Christ's one of the reasons for the Lord's redemptive death and resurrection is to be Lord of both the dead and the living why does thou judge thy brother why does thou set it off my brother for we shall all stand before what we know notice first of all that we there Paul is including himself his a you guys we Jew and Gentile he's Jewish right into Gentiles we together shall stand before what the judgment seat of Christ Oh what is that all about are we gonna be judged as Christians yes we are but I thought we got to heaven automatically because we're justified to you absolutely where this happens in heaven there's not on the earth this isn't heaven it's the first thing that happens after the hobbits are after the rapture the judgment seat of Christ really 7510 says the same thing we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that according that he has done whether it be good or bad that's what it's all about this isn't whether you're saved you're saved understand in fact that you're there you're saved but there's still judgment going on as to okay how'd you do the word judgment seat is a Bema seat and somewhere somehow someone started teaching and everybody else picked up on that the Bema seat is an athlete's podium where the rewards are given out well that's true Olympic game kind of thing you know bronze silver gold whatever that's the Bema seat but that don't be misled by that kind of teaching because Pilate judged Christ on the Bema seat Herod when he was sent by worms and all that next row was on a Bema seat DeLeo who was going to sentence Paul enjoys not to but still that was a Bema seat Festus in his trial sentencing Paul was on a bhima see the Bema seat is a judgement seat don't anyone tell you well that's really something else judgment seat of Christ is a Bema seat now admittedly the thought is in the right flavor because at the Bema seat rewards are handed out in this case and so it's described in first Corinthians 3 very important passage it's got nothing to do with salvation that's what we're gonna try to get across here Paul says now he that planteth and he that watereth are one every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor so it's all about rewards okay for we are labourers together with God he are God's husbandry ye are God's building according to the grace of God which is given to me and as a wise masterbuilder I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon okay what's the foundation well no other foundation can be laid that that which is laid which is you Christ Jesus so far so good now if a man build upon this foundation and there's two groups here gold silver precious stones or wood hay stubble every man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it for it shall be revealed by fire the fire shall try every man's work not the man the man's work try every man's work of what sort it is now there's two kinds of things here three things that are non flammable gold silver precious stones and three things that are flammable wood hay stubble and putting the fire if all you got is wood hay stubble you're in trouble you won't have anything left you got some gold silver stuff they'll survive oh that wool got it there's three if not none of you got him every fine you know that's that's cool okay if any man's work abide which he hath built there on he shall receive a reward that's what this is all about if any man's work shall be burned he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire and like like a refugee in other words like you just left your houses burned down you got nothing left that's sort of the idea you're not burned but your works your reputation your your whatever you that's it I make the statement I may not be correct but I'll make the statement that most people don't get to heaven I gonna be disappointed what do you mean we'll be all glad we're there make no mistake of that we're glad we prefer that to the alternative for sure but that's all been taught that we're all gonna reign with Christ we're all gonna have all this good stuff wait a minute no no that's our inheritance that's available to us if we inherited an ring heaven isn't the same as inheriting this is where it's analogous to the reading of the will what did we get man you got two of those you got three of those oh you didn't get any oh wow whatever you know this is where there's five Crown's mentioned that's really be given out this is where some are going to be very very faith proven Wow they're very faithful they're really up at the head of the line it's my suspicion I don't know that this is true it's my suspicion that this is where the bride is chosen I think the subset that's really faithful are the subset of the body that would be considered the bride I don't think everybody's in the right that's just my opinion for another reasons but let's not make that the big deal here the issue here is rewards not salvation gold silver precious stones that's the right foundation rewarding wood hay stubble burned up suffers loss but you're still saved Paul makes it a very strange remark in one of his other letters Paul says I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the air he loves these athletic analogies I run the determination in other words I fight not as one that just beats the air but I keep my body and bring it into subjection why does he do all this get this lest that by any means when i have preached to others i myself should be a castaway what on earth is he talking about Paul as you talk about losing the salvation of course not he wrote Romans 8 he knows about eternal security he knows he can't lose his salvation but he is he lives his life in paranoia his all through his letters he is fighting the fight only one can win the race you all those things all those idioms he's fearful of being a castaway what's he afraid of what's Paul did Paul for crying out loud what's he afraid of losing his inheritance he knows that inheritance in the Old Testament could be lost he knows that inherent in the New Testament can't be lost Christ talks a lot about that John himself says similar things in his first letter and all little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming why would we be ashamed for lack of faithful not be ashamed before him is coming inheritance we don't talk much about that Jesus achieved his inheritance by perseverance and by suffering Hebrews to Philippians to his companions the term in the Greek is meta Khoi partakers will inherit the same way we're gonna reign with Christ if so be memory Romans 16 that romans 8:4 16 who reign with Christ if so be that we suffer with him 17 and if children then heirs and heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together if so be not certain are you gonna be glorified with Christ Hebrews 6 we desire that every one of you to show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end that ye be not slothful but followers of them that who through faith and patience inherit the promises you're saved but whether you inherit all that could be coming to you as a function of how faithful yea what this all adds up to behavior matters whatever you did before justified doesn't matter but when you're justified what you've done in Christ not in your own strength but entirely by him will count anything else won't that's the net of it have you seen the articles in the recent papers about Mother Teresa now I don't know if they're legitimate or not because I haven't studied them that well but they apparently reveal someone who's revered for her works and yet do you discover apparently they weren't based on faith in fact it's a strange strange trauma that unplayed they're fit that through faith and pay what you do in Christ is what counts Hebrews 3:14 keepers we are made partakers of christ the word is medical in the greek if we hold we're made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end persevere encounter perseverance counts perseverance is one of the great tragedies in the Christian body are the people who have been major leaders long careers that crash and burn near the end have an affair or this or that that undo so much still saved I'm sure and yet boy what inheritance they may have forfeited finishing well is the name of the game medic oi those who share in companions comments partners in a work officer dignitary if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast into the end that's the game game pray about it be serious I remember when is the RAND Corporation the guys were talking about how you get serious about certain government programs forth and well the first thing you do you have a chart on X have some statistic you head by the ten steps you have a chart and I have some statistics on X find out who's in support of X I was again you're always but the final the tenth step was be serious about X that's really what we should be doing to inheritance clarinha medal a reward for a life of faithfulness that's the goal four times it appears in the book of Hebrews the inheritance rights of the firstborn can be lost it's amazing how many firstborn forfeited Ruben forfeited well you can't you go right down through the list that's gonna be forfeited because of disobedience is the case of Esau is the classic one and it's only obtained by persevering faith and patience so there are these two kinds of heritance the portions that you cannot lose you cannot lose your salvation can't lose your salvation I think we talked about that can't it can't continue my father's hand or my hand right there's two hands John 10 right if you're gonna be your salvation you got a new name for God as well or Martin might put up butterfingers you're in his hands you'll always be a son the prodigal son lost his parents made you never lost his sonship important point but you always necessarily a joint-heir firstborn status being an heir is unconditional being a joint heir is conditioned upon perseverance that's the point are we all going to be joint heirs with Christ sure if we suffer with him if saved you are guaranteed entry into heaven justification is a free gift of God nothing we did turn it but entry is not ownership differ between entry in heaven and your role once you get there there gonna be two kinds of people in the king in the kingdom of heaven subjects and sovereigns interesting we're salat before he's written as I live saith the LORD every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God and Paul affirmed all this by quoting here Isaiah 45 23 pertain to everyone standing before Christ and confessing him as Lord echoing Philippians 2 so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God ooh boy we have an appointment let me give you the good news every day that Jesus carries is another day you have to cram for the final it's another day you have to try to improve your report card each believers life of service will be under review some loss will be experienced but he will be rewarded for what he has endured let us not therefore judge one another any more but Judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way now stumbling block the whole idea of passing he's not here by passing judgment on your brethren Micra no man it's a judging one another stop judging each other a Christian should judge himself and his actions so that he doesn't do these two things putting a stumbling block in front of somebody else something a person trips over my wife and I occasionally have a glass of wine and dinner but usually not in the restaurant only in privacy why good might be somebody that might stumble the thing or an occasion to fall in other word trap we could inadvertently cause a brother to fall I know and it persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself really this is a Pharisee talking about coach non kosher food interesting there's nothing unclean them itself but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean to him it is unclean I would doing my Christian my Jewish Christian friend a disservice if I if he need some non kosher food maybe we didn't catch him I'd help him catch it Kenny it could be the thing again okay then let's be sad stay kosher let's picture pretty straightforward no food is unclean of itself but if thy brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou not charitably destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died he's not the meteorite the guy that he that he Christ died for him so don't destroy him with your diet whatever you eating in Christian the in Christian law one ought to forgo his Liberty in Christ to avoid being a spiritual hindrance to the spiritual brother so if you have a brother that is I'll use the kosher thing example it wants to do kosher food then don't don't sit down with him and have a ham sandwich you know how about wine with me I think I've touched on the head of a Christian persist exercising he liberties so his brothers distressed grieve hurt whatever Paul clue that exercises in Liberty is no longer acting and love if you don't think Christians should have a glass of wine at dinner and I have I'm saying we did lunch and have a glass of wine I'm not acting in a loving way toward my brother I may have at liberty in Christ but it's inappropriate for me to do that and cause him to stumble let not been your good be evil spoken of for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost for he that in these things service Christ is acceptable to God and approved of many let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edify another straightforward stuff for me destroy not the work of God all things indeed are pure but as evil for that man who eateth with offence somebody thinks that's bad stuff no shouldn't be any shellfish ok I want even in office right now with you I would may do it when you're not around DePaul food and once personal convictions about it we're not so important as a spiritual health of us fellow Christian and the work of God no diet is that important therefore is wrong to insist on one's personal freedom in Christ concerning food all food is clean no food is unclean fundamentally verse 21 says that it is good neither to eat flesh nor drink wine or anything whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended was made weak see the one living under the self-imposed rules is the weaker in the faith Paul says in encourages all things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient all things are lawful for me but all things edify not hostile faith heaven to the self before God happy is he that condemneth not himself in the thing which he allows if you've got a doubt about something then there is no doubt stop it it's not the thing it's you it's the problem don't allow yourself to do something you think is wrong whatever you believe about these things you know there was the faith you have did keep between yourself and God don't impose your views on somebody else because that's what the a Christian must not insist on influencing a believer with tighter scruples to change his ways you've got somebody that really watches his diet don't don't change his mind let him be there you thought up to you that's it but he that's between him and God he the doubt of his damned if he eat because he is not afraid for whatsoever is not of faith is sin whatever is not of faith is sin the Christian who has doubts is condemned if he eats stands condemned at least if a Christian eats food or does anything he has doubts in his own mind as to whether it's right or wrong before God that's one who's weak in the faith his action does not spring from his faith or trust in God is therefore wrong that's the key concept here Paul is generalizing here everything that does not come out of his faith to sin doesn't come out of your a that's in he the doubt of his damned defeat because he is not a faith for whatsoever is not of faith to sin the principle is when in doubt don't simple the strong Christian we're talking more about that in the next chapter is wrong if he causes a weak brother to sin by doing something while doubting so if he's having doubts don't don't discourage you don't reteach him just leave it a weak brother who goes against what he doubts also sins therefore to him that knows to do good and doeth it not to him it is sin oh boy you see something that's the opportunity good if you don't avail yourself of that that also is its inner core this is nowhere in James now very typical excitation coming out of the Lord's brother sins of omission he's dealing with here what's the key to all of this it's not the rules are you walking moment by moment by the Spirit of God is the real issue and what you do now put in your notes go back and review the first seven chapters of Romans it deals with all of these things that's where the foundation for all of this was laid so in your next session read Romans 15 it'll deal with the unity in the body and the unity in his word there's some fabulous springboards in the next chapter let's stand for closing word of Prayer father we thank you for who you are we pray father then you would help us to indeed walk moment by moment with the Spirit we pray father you'd give us illumination that we might not cause our brothers to stumble help us to understand the liberty in Christ on the one hand and the need to be a brother on the other we thank you Father for your word we pray father that you would help each of us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior in whose name we do pray amen

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Keywords: Jesus, Bible, Romans, Chuck Missler

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Length: 38min 2sec (2282 seconds)

Published: Mon Oct 13 2014