Christ In Me

Scripture: Romans 13:12-14 "The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."

Observation: The Greek word for "armor" here is the base of the use used in Ephesians 6:10 and 12 "Therefore, take up the whole armor of God..." This word, transliterated "hoplon" means an instrument or tool or implement. It has an offensive or proactive sense about it. It is translated as "instrument" in Romans 6:12, as "weapons" in John 18:2 and 2 Corinthians 10:4, and as armor here and in 2 Corinthians 6:7. Essentially it is a tool - a very effective one; one with purpose and strength.

Here Paul equates the "armor of light" with Jesus Christ in verse 14 as see by the fact that we are told to put on both.

Another interesting word here is the one translated as "put on." All but once in the gospels and Acts the word is used in the normal sense of clothing (i.e. the father put the best robe on the prodigal son when he returned), but in every instance that Paul uses it, it has spiritual implications.

Jesus says in Luke that we'll be endued with power from the Holy Spirit. Paul says we should put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12), Jesus (Romans 13:14), incorruption (1 Corinthians 15:53, 54), our new bodies in the resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:3), Christ (Galatians 3:27), the new man (Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10 - further described in verse 12), and the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10, 14). In 1 Thessalonians 5:8 we're told to put on a shortened version of the armor God.

The idea of putting on a different mindset toward life stems from my identity in Christ (see Romans 6:4), so the concept is really an extension of the closeness we are supposed to have with Jesus. Galatians 2:20 says that I have "died" in Jesus but now He is living in me.  In John 15 Jesus puts it this way: "Abide in Me and I in You."

Romans 8 takes this a step further by equating the Spirit of Jesus with the Holy Spirit (vs. 9). That is further evidence by the similarity of the list of behaviors that we should and should not have as found in Romans 13:13, Galatians 5:16-25, Philippians 4:8, and Colossians 3:12-17.

Application: There is a very real and effective relationship with Jesus that I have been given with my salvation. God intended for me to walk closely to him. He designed my new life to be one of intimate dependance on Him that will produce a fulfilling, joyful and peaceful life. Draw near to God and He will draw near to me (James 4:7-8).

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for doing far more than just saving me. I would not have thought of all these blessings if I had designed my own salvation. You planned my happiness to a level that was not possible apart from You. You are just amazing. What an amazing love I have been brought to! What an unexpected blessing! I love You. Amen.

You Ain't The Boss Of Me... Oh, Nevermind, You Are The Boss Of Me.

Scripture: Romans 13:1 "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities..."

Observation: Reasons given in Chapter 13, verses 1-5 to be subject to the governing authorities.

1. Authority by nature is an extension of God's authority (vs 1).  I wonder how many of them consider that?

2. God appointed each ruler, governor, any and all authority (vs 1). This gets tough because of the very evil authorities in the world. This requires an understanding of God that is much greater than the deist or agnostic and is more complex than many Americans would take on God. This requires a God who is sovereign and who is for Himself (which also opens up questions and often rejections, but it is too much for a SOAP).

3. Resisting our governments (or rather its laws) is equal to resisting God (vs 2), which we all know brings punishment.

4. The government is there to punish law-breakers (vs 3). I shouldn't be surprised when I break the law and get punished.

5. Living by the laws of the land will result in a clean conscience (in this area) because we won't be under judgment of God.

Application: These verses have been interpreted and applied in so many ways over the history of Christianity. First, it led to pacifism despite martyrdom, the Catholic Rome married the government to the church, Luther also felt the church and the government were co-authorities over civil life, that concept carried over into most of the governments in Europe's history, many in the Reformation avoided rebellion to government to the point of death, the American colonies felt there was a point that this no longer applied (at least, those that were apart of the rebellion that cared about Scripture must have taken such a position), Sam Childres clearly believes there are times to fight against the government.

I don't know where I stand on the question of how far a Christian should be subject to the government. The one that Paul was under was certainly not an easy one for Christians to live under and yet he and Peter both implored Christians to be submissive. This will become increasingly more difficult of a question to answer as our government continues to oppress and persecute Christians for their faith (think I'm going crazy - just read this and this) under the law of the land. The best default answer is to take it at face value and obey regardless of how difficult it gets. Paul is speaking directly and bluntly here - I should probably respond appropriately.

Prayer: Father, may I honor You in my obedience to Scripture. I know that this text, outside of obeying traffic laws, tax laws, and other moral laws that are not difficult to obey, hasn't yet been a challenge. That may change soon. But I also pray for those Christians throughout the world who are being abused and killed for their faith in Your Son. Protect them. Bring glory to Your name. I love You. Amen.

We Didn't Mean Not To.

Scripture: Romans 13:11-14 "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."

Observation: These verses are the context but the Spirit is just keying in on the last bit, "make no provision for the flesh." It's funny that this should be the week that I read this verse every day because I just had a conversation with Christian about the importance of intentionality. I guess God wants me to not be a hypocrite! Whenever the kids do something on accident they usually say something like, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Depending on the situation my response is often, "Yeah, but you didn't mean not to."

Application: The avoidance of sin doesn't happen automatically or even over time. It happens when I mean it to. If I really want to avoid a certain sin or break its hold over my life I will do something about it.

If I'm serious about holiness, I will "make no provision," no avenue for sin to be fed nor exercised. I will get rid of that activity, television, movie, computer, acquaintance, hobby, habit, etc. If I don't and I commit that same sin because I fell prey to that same temptation that always comes from my involvement in that same activity then I certainly didn't try not to!

So I better not tell God when I'm confessing it later that I "just can't seem to overcome such-and-such sin" or I "didn't mean to."

I better get real and just confess that watching my favorite TV show, in which people dress unlike how the Bible says I should, treats sex unlike how the Bible says I should, and that promotes all sorts of unholy attitudes toward life and other people, because its funny and that is more important to me than God and His "inconvenient" commands.

I better be honest and tell Him that the argument I just had with my wife over the house repair that I still haven't completed is going to happen again because golfing (insert other hobby) for four hours plus a meal afterward is more important than His hatred of selfishness and laziness.

Instead of confessing that I've once against spent the night drinking and doing other things with my mouth, mind, heart, hands, feet and eyes that I know are wrong, I should instead explain to God that I only want to have a little fun and relax - even if it does mean that I'll probably do something that God's Son was tortured, ridiculed and crucified for. I'm sure God will go ahead and forgive my flippant attitude and my "unintentional" transgressions.

And I have to remember that God is not calling me to stop doing evil and then be left with no life. He wants me to stop sinning and then He has a huge amount of good things for me to do! I have to make room because for every activity I put down in obedience, He has ten times more of a rewarding activity for me to do.

Prayer: Father, I may have already established protective walls to remove some provisions for the flesh, but I know there are more steps to take. This enemy is not passive. May I never take Your love, Your mercy, Your grace, or the suffering of Your Son for granted. And may I never be satisfied with not doing the bad, but continue on pursuing the things You're calling me to do! I love You. Amen.

It's Not One Or The Other - Love vs. Law

Scripture: Romans 13:9 "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law."

Observation: Love fulfills the law, but love is not a new law. It simply meets the old law's standard.

What does that mean? The law was given because it is an extension of God's character. It wasn't just some random set of rules to test obedience. It's how He wanted us to live. It is what He would do were He to live here, which is proved by the fact that Romans 8:4 says that God sent Jesus to "fulfill the righteous requirement of the law." Acting toward one another in love means that we will do to others things that are consistent with God's love.

The New Testament does make some differentiation between the law of sin and death and the law of the Spirit of life, but this is not so much about the nature of the laws themselves as it is about the relationship between living by the laws or living by faith and the reward of eternal life.

Application: I would make a real mistake if I thought Paul was telling me to just have some euphoric emotional goodwill toward others and that will make the world some utopia.

Read the next verse (13:10)!

Someone who loves won't cheat on their spouse (emotionally, physically, relationally, mentally), have sex outside of marriage, kill (which includes anger toward others), lie (by speaking what is not true or by deceiving or by withholding truth), covet, disrespect their parents, blaspheme God's name, steal (property, or withhold proper payment, time, affection, encouragement, compliments, etc. Stealing includes not meeting relational needs, i.e. abandonment.)

I will do the law if I love as God loves. The only difference will be the "why" - my motivation for doing it.

Prayer: Father, let me love as You do. That starts by loving You through actions. Then I must apologize to others for each time I fail to love them in action. Please help me to get this right! I love You. Amen.

Wrath Is Not Within The Created's Purview

Scripture: Romans 12:19 "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

Observation: I like the statement, "give place to wrath." The NIV translates it this way: "leave room for God's wrath."

Wrath has its place. Wrath will come. There are things that an all-powerful, all-knowing God is displeased with and He will punish those that commit those things. In other words, sin is a reality and we ought to stop ourselves from doing it.

Justice won't necessarily come when we think it will. Evil will go seemingly unchecked at times. It also may not come to those whom we think it should. And justice is not fully administered until the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:1-15) when God judges and punishes any and all who do not have their sins covered by the blood of Jesus by knowing Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and who have not surrendered their hearts and lives to God sincerely.

Application: This is a tough one considering all the abuses that innocent men, women and children take all over the world. There are atrocities going on daily beyond my understanding. God knows and sees everyone of them. His heart breaks for their pain and his (very frightening) fury burns against those evil doers.

I see every day the unrighteousness of our President, our law-making bodies, our judges, and the evil that is perpetuated all over American society in our love for self and our greed for money and power. We pass these sins down to our children. In the generations after us those sins bear consequences and grow worse and worse... stronger and stronger. We glorify fame and those who have it. We cherish success and accolades. And all of this seems to go unnoticed by God.

But God says that I am to give room for His wrath. Why?
1. I'm going to get it wrong on who deserves His wrath.
2. I'm going to get it wrong on what the proper punishment in full should be.
3. I'm going to get it wrong on how important I am. My life is a vapor and my thoughts are so low and small compared to the One True Judge.
4. I'll fail to be a witness to Jesus. I'll just end up being a witness to the rules and the law, but God has already assigned witnesses to those.
5. I'll find myself a hypocrite at some level. It's better that I love as best as I can, to the fullest, and get the wrath part wrong a bit than the other way around.

This verse does not apply to governing bodies. Paul specifically discusses in the next chapter that he knows the government is there to punish evil. That's what God designed it for. Though again it won't be the full measure of punishment because God is storing His wrath up for that day of judgment.

So I am to pray that the judges will judge righteously. Pray for holy lawmakers. Pray for God-submitted leadership. Pray for rescue from the rule of evil and wicked men and women. Pray for this to happen all over the world! Then let God answer those prayers as He wills.

Prayer: Lord, You are the man! It's Your world. We are Your creatures. I will step aside and not try to counsel You on how to rule what You have created. But I will cry out to You against evil! I will intercede on behalf of those that are abused and oppressed. And I will wait, trusting fully in You to do right. It will all glorify You in the end. I love You. Amen.

Meet Them Where God Meets Them.

Scripture: Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."

Observation: This verse just stuck out to me because my tendency is (ridiculously) almost the opposite. I tend to want to "chear up" the sad and tell the rejoicers (or at the very least, think) that we should control our emotions to a reasonable level. I'm actually pretty ashamed to even write that, but it is true nonetheless.

"Luckily," as always, the Holy Spirit brings the word of God to the doorstep of my heart saying, "This is for you!"

So, what do I see here?

This verse is about empathizing with others. It's about seeing life through the eyes of another. It's about being genuinely impacted and moved for the life of another. As is Paul's theme here and in connection with what I wrote yesterday, this is love without hypocrisy. I think this needs more explaining.

It starts with God (doesn't everything for a Christian?). I wrote last Saturday a little about the cyclical relationship between God's revelation of Himself to me and my praise to Him. In a similar vein, God seeks to meet us where we are because that always brings Him more glory - in fact it's the way that works the best to that end. If I am truly struggling with life, God comes to me with comfort and the reminder that Jesus experienced all of the same sadness (Hebrews 4:13-16). My ultimate response then is love and gratitude and praise to Him.

Likewise, in my times of rejoicing God's Spirit prompts in me remembrance that all good things comes from God (James 1:17). Because God's love is perfect, He loves to see joy in others. He rejoices at the joy of others. And my correct response is to praise Him and thank Him for whatever the blessing is at that moment.

In both situations He initiates the connection, I respond, and He returns even greater levels of faith or revelation or strength or any number of good things.

Application: This brings me back to me. Two applications:
1. I am to mimic my Father in heaven. If He is doing it, I should, too. I think this is the point of the old WWJD clothing and jewelry. After all, this is what Jesus prayed (or  told us to pray), "Heavenly Father, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." If we all did to others as God does to them it would be heaven on earth!

2. When I discover a great restaurant, I want to tell others about it because that increases business for them. Greater fame for the place = more people enjoying it = more fame = more enjoyment and so on. The response from the person I told is not, "Wow! Dale is awesome!" It is, "Thank you for telling me about this! It is awesome!"

God is that awesome thing. My rejoicing or mourning with others will be the fuel that motivates them to experience the blessing-praise cycle that I wrote about above.

Prayer: First, I'll praise You for meeting me again this morning. Second, please make me more like Jesus and less like me. :-) I want to grow beyond myself to be a real help to others. I should find joy in the joy of others. I should be in awe at the amazing masterpiece that you made them to be and I should have concern for their concerns. Help me to identify with whatever people are experiencing so we can both draw nearer to You together. I love You. Amen.

The Imperative Connection of Love and Holiness

Scripture: Yesterday's S.O.A.P. brought this up. 1 John 3:10 "whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother."

Observation: Yesterday I was surprised to see that in the letters written by the apostles holiness and love were spoken of together repeatedly. This verse in 1 John; Romans 12:1, 2 and 9; James 1:21-27 and chapter 2:1... with longer study I believe that it would be found in every book written to the church. Even the Sermon on the Mount is essentially all about loving others well and living holy lives by God's definition rather than ours.

Application: I think the fact that holiness and love are found so often together is simply the evidence that both of them are expected from me. It's also a guard and a warning against the extremes that are so prevalent in my society today.

It's like we've made "holiness" and "love" enemies.

Some people drive off all emotion from their Christian walk while others, in their freedom in Christ, eschew obedience to God's commands about holiness. God warns against both extremely. First John 3:10 speaks against the love-aphobics and Hebrews 12:14 to the rule-aphobics.

Where am I in this?

Nori says that the reason "love" and "holiness" are spoken of together is that one cannot be had without the other. They are inseparable. Love is not love if it is mixed with sin. Holiness, unguided  by love, serves only itself.

Or at least that's what I think she was getting at.

Prayer: Your ways and Your word amaze me every time I study them. I feel like I'm scaling a mountain of which I cannot see the top. Regardless of the height I climb the end never comes in sight. No matter how deeply I dive into the sea of Your truth and of who You are I never feel near the bottom. I only get a feeling that it is unreachable. It makes me feel small. And it also assures me that You are trustworthy and praiseworthy. I love You. Amen.

That Kind of Love

Scripture: Romans 12:9 "Let love be without hypocrisy..."

Observation: This is such a small portion of a short verse but Paul so often, after he has established the theology or mindset from which we should operate, gives the logical application that should follow such truths.

During these practical application times, he is very direct and unashamedly commanding.

"Let love be without hypocrisy." These words "without hypocrisy" are actually one word in Greek that means unfeigned or undisguised. The same word is used in 2 Corinthians 6:6 where Paul says his love for the Corinthians was sincere. In 1 Timothy Paul instructs us to evaluate ourselves to test if our faith is sincere (1:5). James writes that wisdom, if it is from God, is sincere in its application (3:17). Peter repeats Paul's exhortation that our love must be without guile (1:22).

But why such concern over the purity of our love? I think the primary driving force over why a Christian pursues perfect love toward those around him is that we are concerned with reflecting God. If His love were anything but perfect, He would not be God. So, such a simple statement like "let love be without hypocrisy" is really to say that if loving acts are tainted by self-centered (only!) motives then they are not love.

The Apostle John gives us perhaps the most direct and startling warning about false love: "whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother" and then says, "let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."

Yikes! If I don't love those around me in truth and in deed (i.e. sincerely and through actions) I am not God's!

Side note: as seen in 1 John 3:10, Romans 12:1-9, 1 Thessalonians 3:13 and James' letter love is the Siamese twin of holiness. Apparently, one cannot be had without the other.

Application:
This is something I have to get right.

I may have myself fooled into believing that I'm doing well with this though. I don't think it's enough to demonstrate acts of love to a particular group of people (immediate or extended family and friends, for example) but not the rest of the people that enter our lives daily. Moreover, the absence of malice is not the fullness of love. Love must include intentional actions.

If it doesn't wouldn't that be "love with hypocrisy?"

To only love those who love us is far from what Jesus tells us to do.

Prayer: This is a tough one Lord. I'm in a realm that I simply cannot do on my own. I would rather limit my acts of love to those closest to me and then simply be neutral or friendly to the rest of the people. But then I am immediately confronted with the fact that You went to a people who were Your enemies, love them, and died for them. And then You said in the middle of that, "Follow Me." This requires life changing, doesn't it? This will likely require sacrifice of some of my personal plans. I'm not good at that. You know that. Help me please to obey You. You speak to me daily - open My ears to hear and cut my heart to humility. I know I am Your witness to the world. Where have I placed my priorities above Yours? Oh, I am broken. And You love me on and on and on. I love You. I am covered in Your love. Thank You Lord. In Christ's name I pray. Amen.

It's What We're Called To.

Scripture: Romans 12:6-8 "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them:if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."

Observation: Some of these gifts seem to  be ones that would be given to only a few believers and others I would think would belong to all believers. So that's the question I have: are all Christians given the gift of giving? Or showing mercy while others, like ministry or prophecy, are limited to some? In other words, how particularly does the Holy Spirit distribute the gifts?

I suppose a giving heart could be given to any Christian, regardless of how much they had (in fact, it seems those that have the least are often the most giving). Mercy should certainly belong to all. If the gifts were particularly given based on personality I would say that it may be true that only certain individuals might be given the gift of giving; others would apparently have the gift of tight-wadness.

But what we really see in Scripture is that all Christians should be living by the life of Christ (as Paul described in Galatians 2:20). So, I think that all Christians should be demonstrating (or striving to grow in) acts of charity, giving, mercy, grace, patience, kindness, love, etc.

A better understanding of the gifts will come by studying all the passages that describe the types and usage of the gifts.

Application:
Yet again, Christians have no excuse for ignoring (disobeying) the way of life that the Bible teaches.

Here's the reality - all Christians have been given a gift that must be used to serve the body and further the good message about Jesus. I, as a Christian, must be serving using gifts that I personally know God is equipping me with.

Serving God isn't about feeling adequate or prepared first - it's about obeying God when He tells me to serve and letting God's strength be demonstrated in our weakness.

It is this equation:
My weakness + God's strength = God's glory through Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Please help me to put Your strength and power to work in my life. I have this treasure of Your Son's life in the Holy Spirit in an earthen vessel that the excellence of the power may be of You, not of me. May I bring You glory today. I love You. Amen.

Catch 22 Of The Best Kind!

Scripture: Romans 11:30-32 "For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all."

Observation: This passage is a shortened review of Romans 3:19-26. God's plan from before creation was to deal with our sin problem by His abounding grace. But He went another step further by also demonstrating His abundant wrath and anger toward sin. In Romans 3:26 Paul wrote, "that He might be just and the justifier of those who believe." So this actually brings me to an uncomfortable statement: It seems that God is glorified and praised as much in our disobedience as He is in our faith. If I spend eternity in hell, it magnifies Him just as much as if I spend an eternity in heaven with Him.

Someone who is saved may then take the fatalistic approach to evangelism, seeing a lack of conversions around him or her, and decide it doesn't matter if we spread the gospel and share the good news or not!

But there is a key aspect of praise that is left out here! If I bring God glory through my faith and I magnify Him because of His grace and mercy and love, He responds by revealing more of Himself to me for which I praise Him for which He reveals more of Himself for which I praise Him more

... and on and on and on.

And each time the level and fullness of my joy and understanding of His character grows deeper and wider. So this works both to increase the glory that He gets and the joy and fullness that I get!

Application:
1. My heart should always be one like Paul's toward the lost - "I do whatever I can that someone might be saved!" If I truly love God and want Him to receive all the praise that He deserves then I will want to help others find Him because that will inevitably increase the amount of praise that He is getting!

2. It is not a sin for me to want to know God more so that I receive more Him. It sounds selfish but that is actually what God commands - He wants us to find 100% of our fulfillment in Him. And the more joy, satisfaction, awe, and peace I get from Him, the more I declare His inestimable worth and tell others of how good He is.

Prayer: Father, thank You for meeting me this morning and revealing more of Yourself to me. I have every reason in the world to praise You and to love You. And I so love You! Help the church to truly and deeply praise Your goodness during the gatherings of believers across the world today! Amen.

They Would Love Nothing More Than For You To Let Him Down

Scripture: Romans 11:29 "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."

Observation: In context, Paul is still talking about God's sovereign election of the Israelites. However, Paul's statement here is general in nature and applies to all of His gifts and all of His callings.

Application: When God calls me to something I should not question that calling until He makes it clear that I should stop.

God cannot be over-powered and His plans for me cannot be stopped.

The beginning of a call from God to something is always exciting and perhaps a bit scary. Over time though I will inevitably come across doubt, struggles, questioning of God's direction, naysayers, fear, pride sometimes, distraction or moments of failure and disappointment.

None of those mean that God's calling is revoked (of course, that depends on how great the failure is -  I am not, at his point, going into the realm of what to do when a leader falls into deep or habitual sin).

The enemy wants to stop me and he primarily does it through discouragement. If I can experience any of the things above and become discouraged I may grow apathetic or give up all together. I have to recognize their (Satan and his legions) ways and hold fast to the word that God spoke to me in that quiet moment so long ago.

God will never leave me nor forsake me. God is greater than I can even fathom. It's like I'm an elementary grade kid on the bus and I have the big, older high school brother. If my brother says I can do something, ain't no one gonna stop me from doing it. They can threaten and chide and name-call all they want, but if they actually try to stop me they are going to get thumped. I just have to remember that I won't be doing any thumping - He will.

Prayer: There is nothing like knowing You have called me to some area of service. You designed me to serve You and it brings great joy to do as You've asked. But I struggle with doubt during it. Please strengthen my resolve and help me to remember that there is a real enemy out there. My discouragement doesn't come from You. Your word is full of encouragement and love... those are the things that I need to hold on to. I love You. Amen.

Endure

I did this S.O.AP. Wednesday but after studying it more, I had to do it again because I realized I was fighting with God about what Paul wrote. I was trying to ignore what was right in front of me.

Scripture: Romans 11:21-22 "For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off."

Observation: So here is another great question - can a Christian lose their salvation because of unbelief or an extent of sin in their lives? That appears to be Paul's point here.

Questions for understanding this text:
1. Is Paul speaking individually or corporately in verses 20-22?

2. What were the conditions for which the Israelites were cut off?

I'll address these questions in reverse.
1. What were the conditions for which the Israelites were cut off? The Israelites were cut-off because of unbelief (11:20, 23). Unbelief of what? Unbelief of God, or more specifically unbelief of His standard for sinlessness and the absolute necessity of believing God in faith for a redeemer (9:30-32; 10:3). So, whoever is being warned against being "cut off," must continue in belief.

2. Is Paul speaking corporately or individually?
Throughout the chapter Paul speaks corporately (or in general) about the Israelites. He also speaks corporately about the Gentiles in verses 11 and 12. At verse 17 however, if Paul intended to continue speaking of the Gentiles in general then he would have likely continued to use "Gentiles." But Paul specifies "you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others." (ESV)

So he begins by describing the general principal of the necessity of continuing in faith, unlike the Israelites, and the consequence of failing to do so. And he continues by giving a specific warning to the Gentiles in the church of Rome about their sure judgment if they follow in the Israelites ethnic arrogance instead of seeking the righteousness of God by faith.

Application:
What does this mean for me, a believer? Do I live in continuous fear that I've not maintained enough faith in God or that I've perhaps sinned beyond the strength of God's forgiveness?

(The first time I addressed this I brought too many presuppositions to the text and ignored what really seems obvious for fear that my belief in sovereign election might be affected.)

A proper understanding of all of Scripture requires an acceptance and consistent inclusion of all parts of it. So, yes, I can cease to follow God in faith and fail to receive eternal life. But more so, I can continue in faith in the rest of Scripture, which says that:
... God, who started working in me, will complete the work in me as well (Philippians 1:6).
... God will strengthen me, yes, He will help me; He will uphold me with His righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).
... God keep evil from overtaking me and will give His angels charge over me to keep me in all my ways (Psalm 91:10, 11).
... nothing can separate me from God's love (Romans 8:38, 39).
... God has made me a new creation and sin has lost it's right to dominion over me.

It should be noted though that Paul's warnings are specifically about ceasing to rely on gaining salvation through faith. He nowhere in this passage says that I can lose my salvation because I pass some threshold of sin.

Now, what about the doctrine of the "election?" Can God, once He has elected me for eternal life, be overruled by the exercise of my free will toward unbelief? It would take too much time for me to adequately address that here.

This is Thomas Schreiner's response to it though:

"This threat [in Romans 11] cannot be dismissed as an idle one. Paul often warns his readers of the necessity of continuing in faith in order to be saved. One should never conclude from Paul's teaching on divine election that he downplayed the necessity of human beings continuing to exercise faith in order [to be saved.]... Those who do not continue in faith will face God's judgment. Neither would it be correct to conclude that some of those that God elected will fail to continue in the faith. ... When we look at it retrospectively we discover that those who fail to persevere thereby reveal that they were never actually part of the elect community."

Prayer: Lord, all of creation and its history brings You praise. We testify, whether we intend to or not, that You are God, that You are righteous, and that we are dependent on You. I love You. There is no one like You! Amen.

We Are Beautiful Letdowns

Scripture: Romans 11:4 "But what does the divine response say to [Elijah]? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

Observation: Many people consider Chapter 9 of Romans to be the major passage supporting "sovereign election," the doctrine that holds that God has chosen some people to inherit eternal life and the rest He has left in their rebellion against Him.

But here is one of the most convincing evidences to me that God intervenes in the salvation of people - His repeated promises throughout the O.T. and N.T. that there would be (at least) a small, faithful contingency of believers. Multiple times He guarantees it. I find this to be impossible for God to promise unless He is involved directly with the faith of those people.

Some may respond that God can do this because He foreknew that there would be a remnant (it's used just two verses earlier) but that betrays God's own words: "I have reserved... ." God claims full responsibility for their faith. And Paul spells it out again in verse 5, "Even so then, ... there is a remnant according to the election of grace."

People who oppose the idea of God selecting some people while not choosing others generally point to three things:
1. all the verses where we're given a choice to accept salvation.
2. all the commands that we're to follow.
3. verses that say that God wants all people to be saved.

They fall on those as evidence that people have the ability to choose salvation.

I say while those passages are certainly present (I don't deny it), passages such as these are scattered throughout all of Scripture, too. We have to accept both as true and deal with Scripture interpretation on that level. If we do not, we will find ourselves doing all kinds of theological gymnastics trying to make God not say what He says.

When I finally accepted both to be true, God then began to reveal how both things could be true and I have found it to be one of the most beautiful doctrines in all of Scripture.

Application:
I was chosen by God.

That statement would make some feel boastful.

The Christian should not think so.

The only response that I find right is, "Why me?" God's simple answer is, "I have saved You for My glory. (Is. 43:7) Through you I demonstrate My goodness, grace, mercy, righteousness, patience, wisdom, power and so much more. (Romans 9:23) And through your testimony the world will see and know of My love. Dale, you know yourself and you know that My word says that no one seeks Me - not one person pursues a relationship with Me. If anyone was to be saved at all, I had to be involved."

Prayer: Father, I am undeserving of Your mercy, Your grace and Your salvation. And I desperately want those around me to know of Your love, too... to know You as I do. Help me to witness to You and Your Son, Jesus and help me to clearly proclaim the great news of Your hope through Jesus. I love You! Amen.

This Is Where It's At

Scripture: Romans 10:6-9, same as last S.O.A.P.

Observation: The context of these verses must have a role in what Paul's point is here. He moves from his desire for the Jews to be saved, to explaining that they missed salvation because of their focus on self-righteousness, to our verses in question, to the conclusion in verses 10-12 that promises everyone who comes in faith to God who believes and confesses faith in God's work for our salvation -- Jesus' life, death and resurrection -- will be saved. Verses 6-9 must fit into this line of thinking.

So... Paul is quoting Moses in Deuteronomy 30:11-13 where Moses had just finished explaining the blessings and curses of God which would come depending on whether they followed God's commandments or not. There he says that the commands were not too far away; the people shouldn't try to go to some great lengths to discover secrets of God or to find God's salvation. The commandments are met by having a heart for God in faith. 

Back in Romans 10, verses 8 and 9 are a picture of what faith is, or rather where the means of salvation is -- the faith that is in us. Verses 6 and 7 are a picture of what faith is not, or rather where the means of salvation is not -- high in heaven for us to raise ourselves to nor deep in the earth (or across the sea) for us to go some great distance to find. Both of these things would be work on our part which would tun give us reason to feel deserving of eternal life.

The problem with that is that if God doesn't get all the credit, grace is not grace and the gifts isn't a gift!

Application: Salvation is right in front of all of us. It is not only for the wealthy or the intelligent or the educated or the famous or limited to one people group or one geographical location. Salvation is available to all through the act of faith.

Yet faith in Jesus Christ is required. That faith then should lead to submission to God and committing my whole life to Him. 

Prayer: Father! Thank You for making salvation so easy to access for everyone. By doing that You have made Your goodness and mercy even more well known! Without Your grace I would be without hope. I love You. Amen.