Embrace the Within no. 187

“Then what is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God [His very I.e. the Old Testament promises.words].

What then? If some did not believe or were unfaithful [to God], their lack of belief will not nullify and make invalid the faithfulness of God and His word, will it? Certainly not! Let God be found true [as He will be], though every person be found a liar, just as it is written [in Scripture],

‘That You may be justified in Your words,

And prevail when You are judged [by sinful men].’

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God is not wrong to inflict His wrath [on us], is He? (I am speaking in purely human terms.)

Certainly not! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? But [as you might say] if through my lie God’s truth was magnified and abounded to His glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner? And why not say, (as some slanderously report and claim that we teach) ‘Let us do evil so that good may come of it’? Their condemnation [by God] is just.

Well then, are we [Jews] better off than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles) are under the control of sin and subject to its power. As it is written and forever remains written,

‘There is none righteous [none that meets God’s standard], not even one.

There is none who understands,

There is none who seeks for God.

All have turned aside, together they have become useless;

There is none who does good, no, not one.’

‘Their throat is an open grave;

They [habitually] deceive with their tongues.’

‘The venom of asps is beneath their lips.’

‘Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.’

‘Their feet are swift to shed blood,

Destruction and misery are in their paths,

And they have not known the path of peace.’

‘There is no fear of God [and His awesome power] before their eyes.’

Now we know that whatever the Law [of Moses] says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that [the excuses of] every mouth may be silenced [from protesting] and that all the world may be held accountable to God [and subject to His judgment]. For no person [flesh] will be justified [freed of guilt and declared righteous] in His sight by [trying to do] the works of the Law. For through the Law we become conscious of sin [and the recognition of sin directs us toward repentance, but provides no remedy for sin]” (Romans 3:1-20).

Again, another huge chunk of Paul’s epistle, however, it is one unit to look at in detail about how all of us are guilty. A fact that I too often forget. “They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalms 14:3 AMP).

Lawful or lawless. Presbyter or congregant. Jew or Christian. Gentile or American. Not one.

“Their feet run to evil,

And they rush to shed innocent blood.

Their thoughts are thoughts of wickedness

[of sin, of injustice, of wrongdoing];

Devastation and destruction are in their highways.

They do not know the way of peace,

And there is no justice in their tracks.

They have made them into crooked paths;

Whoever walks on them does not know peace” (Isaiah 59:7-8 AMP).

This study has started to take a turn here. BUT that does sound a lot like American society. It is almost like if Paul was writing letters today that there would be an epistle to American Christians. We live in a community, all across this world BUT definitely in America, where “devastation and destruction are in [our] highways”. We have a system that is based in inequality and founded in violence so much so that we no longer “know the way of peace”. Folks murder blatantly and there “is no justice” because our system has “made them into crooked paths”. How can we walk in those systems and know peace? We can’t. There is only peace through being part of His Kingdom. There is no justification in the Law. The Law is there to show me how wrong I am. And the systems around me show just how far away from His Way I can get if allowed to make my own decisions. If I try to judge what is good on my own, I get the systems and societies that surround me.

Israel had the Law and failed. Israel was set apart and favored and failed. BUT through the lessons of the past, I can build upon the Law’s fulfillment. I can look beyond the Law and to The Christ to make a way for me to salvation and sanctification. I can turn away from the kingdoms of men and the goodness I judge with my own eye and look towards His Kingdom and see things through the Spirit.

I pray that I begin to live as The Christ taught. I pray that every day my walk with Him is better aligned to the love and grace and mercy He has shown to me and to all humanity. I pray that I daily deny myself, take up His cross, and follow Him obediently. I pray that through my walk I am a better Ambassador of His Kingdom.

Grace and Shalom to your home.

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH