When you read through the texts given for this lesson, one could possibly get the impression that there is only very bad news, for in the early chapters of Romans, Paul tells us the condition of humanity without God in control of their lives. "Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" (Rom. 1:30-32). Even as professed Christians we are not totally off the hook: "Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?" (Rom. 2:21). And, "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things" (Rom. 2:1).
No wonder the lesson asks in Sunday's section, "Do you ever struggle with assurance? Do you have times when you truly question whether or not you are saved, or even if you can be saved?" (emphasis added).
If you are one of those who have doubts about your salvation, you are not alone. Years ago, when I joined the church, I had a major concern for the many people in our church who had no assurance that they would make it into heaven. I would hear, "Oh, if I'm faithful, I can make it." or, "I'll be happy if I can just squeak in by the skin of my teeth." After all, it is true what Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." In Monday's lesson the author states truly, "When we contrast ourselves to God, and to the holiness and righteousness of God, none of us would come away with anything other than an overwhelming sense of self-loathing and disgust." When confronted with our own failure, we have a choice of how we might respond. As we see the frailty of the fallen sinful human flesh, we can become discouraged, generally resulting in a gentle eroding of the standards coupled with, on the extreme, a total loss of faith. If we continue to come short of the glory of God, it is easy to become discouraged and reduce our "faith" to a mere hope.
However, there is a better response--the response of faith, because "faith" is the "substance of things hoped for" (see Heb. 11:1). Romans 6:11 states, "Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Consider yourself right now to already be free from sin--even though you may not perceive the experience of it, at least not yet. If we really are "dead indeed unto sin," that means we are dead to the deeds of sin and if we reckon ourselves to be so, that means we believe it to be true in substance because we are alive to the working of God in us through (and because of) Christ dwelling in us. The paralytic in John 5 had no previous experience with walking for 38 years, but when God said, "Take up thy bed and walk," he reckoned it to be so, did not question God's creative word, and, therefore, that faith acted accordingly (Gal. 5:6). Reckon it to be so. Believe it to be so. When we truly believe God's word, we then expect, even anticipate (with patience) the promised good works to come forth in us because we depend upon the power of God's word only to do what He has already said about us, even though we may not perceive or understand those results yet to come.
(I mentioned the part about patience because we sometimes lose patience when we don't see the results as fast as we would like and, as a result, begin to try to push God. Actually, through our impatience we are telling God that we don't trust Him. It is an old covenant response to a new covenant promise. Let Him do His glorious work in you. There is no need to run ahead of Him; see Christ's Object Lessons
, p. 61.)Monday's lesson made another interesting point regarding Romans 3:23. "Amazingly enough, some folk actually challenge the idea of human sinfulness, arguing that people are basically good." In my experience, most people want to do what is right, generally. Over the years, I do believe I have made a good selection of friends. Yet even the "best friends in the world" are capable of doing things because they fear the consequences of wrong actions and all of us can occasionally break the rules in "extenuating circumstances" hoping for a good outcome, assuming we don't get "caught." It is wise to consider the results of contemplated actions, wiser still to ask for God's guidance regarding them and for His enabling power to do what is right regardless of perceived consequences.
The concept that "people are basically good" and the resulting conclusion that "all we need to do is to find that goodness inherent within all people and bring it out" derived from pantheistic ideas--that everything is God ("pan"--all, "theism"--the belief or acknowledgment of the existence of a God). The Bible indicates that only God (Jehovah) is inherently good. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9). "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God" (Matt. 19:17). Any goodness found in man derives from God. The belief that any mere man is inherently good or has goodness inherent within him indicates that he is the person of another god than Jehovah--a form of idol worship. We must be careful how we refer to goodness with respect to mankind. We all have sin deep down within us, corruption that we cannot see until God reveals it to us. The work of our loving High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary is to remove all that sin before He comes to take us home. He will do it, if we believe. Let's believe it, and let Him do it. Ellet J. Waggoner, one of the 1888 "messengers," says this very well:
"So, then, they who are of faith are keepers of the law; for they who are of faith are blessed, and those who do the commandments are blessed. By faith they do the commandments. Since the gospel is contrary to human nature, we become doers of the law not by doing but by believing. If we worked for righteousness, we would be exercising only our own sinful human nature, and so would get no nearer to righteousness, but farther from it. But by believing the 'exceeding great and precious promises,' we become partakers of the divine nature' (2 Peter 1:4, KJV), and then all our works are wrought in God. ...
"... Still further, we are assured that God has created us 'in Christ Jesus for good works,' 'that we should walk in them.' Ephesians 2:10.
"He has Himself prepared these works for us, wrought them out, and laid them up for all who trust in Him. Psalm 31:19. 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.' John 6:29. Good works are commended, but we cannot do them. They can be performed only by the One who is good, and that is God. If there be ever any good in us, it is God who works in us. There is no disparagement of anything that He does" (The Glad Tidings
, pp. 56, 57).Let's let Him do it.
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For an excellent companion book to these studies, please see Waggoner on Romans:
the Gospel in Paul’s Great Letter, by E. J. Waggoner. You may access the complete book at: http://www.1888mpm.org/book/waggoner-romansFor Jack Sequeira sermons on Romans click here: MP3; Windows Media; Real Audio
For the written version click here
For a paraphrase on Romans click here
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