Proclaim Hope Daily | Week 36

Below is a short summary or synopsis of the Bible reading for the day. Use it as a helpful tool to think through the Scripture. There are also some cross references to study other passages of Scripture to highlight or better understand that passage.

This beautiful creation hymn sings of God’s unfathomable glory, particularly as witnessed through the lens of creation. Take notice of the Lord’s power, provision and purpose. God is omnipotent (all powerful) for he made the universe, fixing the foundations of the earth, personally setting the stars in their place, establishing the laws of space, time, weather and gravity. Through his creation the Eternal Father lovingly provides life and sustenance, supplying his creation with everything it needs to prosper. God is also omniscient (all knowing), for he intentionally made everything with specific purpose. The provision is driven by purpose. He brings forth the water so that it may refresh and hydrate, which causes the grass to grow for the animals, which in turn provides for man. As previously seen in the hymns of thanksgiving, all creation praises the God that gives life so abundantly and strategically. As this hymn closes, there is a prayer given for the continuation of God’s glory. God is indeed good, shining down on us with his tremendous grace and all of creation should have a heart of gratitude as it seeks to honor him in return.

(1 Chronicles 29:11; Job 12:7-10; Psalm 33:6; Proverbs 16:4; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 6:30-34, 19:26; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Philippians 4:19)

As the old saying goes, “You never see a U-haul following behind the hurst.” Solomon strives, with dramatic emotional language, to warn the congregation of what he sees as his own foolish and prideful errors. What one has, obtains, builds, and accomplishes in this life is temporal, fleeting and perishable. Only the things concerning God, the everlasting, has true ongoing value, for it carries into the eternal. Solomon compares the life of earthly accomplishment to chasing after the wind. Mankind spends day after day, toiling and hustling after things that when put in proper perspective have no lasting value. It is like chasing the wind, as it comes and goes in all directions; intangible gusts of air that cannot be caught or grasped. All men, wise or foolish, will come to the same fate: death. Therefore all humanity must acknowledge and address such fate through the only effective option; a salvific relationship with the God who has the ability to save the soul beyond death.

(Deuteronomy 32:39; Psalm 89:46-48; Matthew 6:19-21, 10:28; Luke 12:13-21; 2 Corinthians 4:18; 1 Peter 1:1-9; 1 John 2:17)

Paul continues to build-out the doctrine of Sin (hamartiology-the study of sin) in order to highlight the need for Christ and salvation that comes only through him. The apostle begins to establish what is called the “Adamic Nature,” as well as what is referred to in Reformed circles as “Total Depravity,” or what John MacArthur labels “Human Inability.” This unfortunate and unpopular truth about mankind is the very reason that salvation is vital and necessary. By nature, all mankind have and will break God’s law, ultimately falling short of his righteous standard (v.23). Paul quotes Psalm 14:1-3 and 53:1-3, illustrating the fact that not even one person throughout time has sought out God on their own. Sin has gravely impacted all human beings, rendering them unable and unwilling of their own accord. “But God” the Bible often interjects. Even though mankind is not able to overcome sin and uphold the Law, for the Law only exposes man’s inability to keep it, God sent his Son as a substitute to fulfill the Law on our behalf and simultaneously take our just punishment as transgressors. This is referred to as the Great Exchange, Penal Substitutionary Atonement, and Propitiation of Sin. Jesus’s perfect sinless life fulfilled the law for us, his death on the cross paid the price for our failure to uphold it, and his resurrection won the victory for us. Therefore, through faith in Jesus Christ, God the Father imputes (declares/qualifies) his righteousness to those who believe. This is the doctrine of justification.

(Isaiah 53:5-6, 10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 2:1-10; Hebrews 2:17, 9:28; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2)

What many may see as a contradiction, concerning justification by faith and the idea of works, is made clear in this chapter. While God may judge mankind in some degree according to their works, no one is justified by them. The apostle Paul uses Abraham to make this point abundantly clear. Abraham did not receive God’s righteousness by doing anything (according to the law), but by having faith which then lead to his faithful works. To establish this truth, Paul recalls the fact that Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised. Prior to that we find Abraham falling on his face before God in worship, a clear sign of faith and submission to the Lord and his direction. Abraham was chosen by God while he was a pagan living in Ur of the Chaldeans. Without the choice and act of God first resting on him, Abraham would have remained Abram, a worshipper of pagan gods. But God, intervening in his life, sovereignly selected Abraham to be the father of his chosen people; both in lineage (Jews) and in faith (all who believe). So likewise, Paul states, first comes faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which justifies the believer before a Holy God (“righteousness counted to him”). Then the believer, who is indwelled by the Spirit of God, is convicted and empowered to live a life of faith that honors the Lord by keeping his commandments. True faith alone in Christ alone justifies the believer, but righteous works are an outward evidence that Christ is Lord of said believer. Some may appear to profess faith in Christ, yet they never yield their life to Jesus, exposing their faith to be superficial.

(Genesis 12:1-4, 15:6, 17:1-4, 24; Matthew 16:27; Romans 2:6; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Galatians 3:6-8; James 2:14-26)

After laying the foundation for salvation, the justification of the sinner by grace through faith in Christ, Paul now explains the results of salvation for the believer; moving from wrath and judgement to grace and peace. The believer now has the ultimate reason to rejoice. Not only from the negative, escaping eternal wrath and judgement, but in the positive, receiving a profound hope, joy and assurance that will aid the believer in this life, as well as the next. To further dichotomize sin and salvation, Paul compares Adam and Jesus Christ. On one hand, when Adam, the original representative for mankind, sinned against God, death was handed down to all humanity. However, because of the magnificent love of God the Father, he sent his own Son to be the ultimate representative for humanity. Because of Adam’s sin all mankind was cast into a fallen state, death being the result. But through a greater representative, Jesus, the power of salvation works on behalf of those who have faith, eternal life being the result. Indeed salvation cannot be obtained or accomplished by man, for it is a free gift from God accomplished by Christ.

(John 5:24; Galatians 1:3-5; Ephesians 2:1-10, 5:8; Colossians 1:13-14; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:1-2)

There seems to be tension between sin and righteousness, as well as God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility in this section of scripture. Paul has already established that mankind is born into a sinful state. Sin reigns within humanity, crippling the ability to choose between sin and righteousness. So by nature man is slave to sin, he cannot help it as he is dead in his trespasses. However, as God intervenes and the heart of stone becomes a heart of flesh, a new creation is born. The individual is now a slave to God’s righteousness. This terminology should allow us to see human free-will in a realistic light. Scripture soundly denies the idea that humanity is able to come to faith on their own, as slaves are bound and compelled to comply to their master. Before faith frees the captive, the only choice is to obey sin. Yet after experiencing grace through Christ Jesus, the chains of sin are broken and therefore the believer is now bound to him and his righteousness. Paul uses the ordinance of baptism to help explain. As one is immersed in the water (baptizo) it is picturing the death and burial of the believer which is joined in Christ, just as he died, was buried, but resurrected in victory. When the believer arises from the water, it symbolizes being raised to a newness of life, being changed by the work of Christ and resurrected with him. The apostle touches on the tension by asking a rhetorical question: Do we continue to sin because we know we have forgiveness and grace? Of course not Paul implies. A true believer, who has been justified and the beginning of sanctification takes place, would never desire to remain in sin. It is worth mentioning the term antinomianism, which is a theological belief that Christians are freed from and do not need to obey God’s laws. This is outright rejected by the apostle. Ceremonial law has been done away with, for sacrifices are obsolete. However, God’s moral laws obviously still stand. Sin will and does occur in a believer, but assurance lies in the fact that there is conviction and repentance. There seems to be tension because of two truths that are wrapped together in scripture: man cannot until God does, but when God does man can and is called to. Here is the mysterious intersection of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility.

(John 8:34-36; Romans 8:2; Galatians 2:19-20, 3:27, 4:22; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 2:12; Hebrews 10:1-4; 1 Peter 2:16; 1 John 3:9)

Paul continues to explain the power of salvation that takes place as the believer dies to sin in Christ. The authority of sin, which is actually exposed by having the law, becomes null and void for the believer, as faith attributes the power of Christ’s resurrection victory to their account. Like the well-known praise song, In Christ Alone, says, “And as He stands in victory, sin’s curse has lost it’s grip on me.” Even before the cross of Christ, individuals were never saved by living according to the law. Either they attempted to live according to the law because their faith produced obedience, or they legalistically went through the motions thinking that it would save them. It is impossible to live according to every letter of the law, therefore pragmatically it never saved/s anyone. The law was given to God’s people so that it may bring Him glory by revealing his holy nature and standard, which man clearly cannot uphold. The law is not responsible for causing sin, it merely explains to us what God considers to be sin. For instance, how would we know it is wrong to drive 85 mph on a 35 mph road if speeding laws and signs were not posted? Often, even though Christians know the speed limit, it is still ignored and broken. Christians battle every day with sin, often losing the battle. Justified believers still sin because in this life they are not yet glorified (made perfect) but over time they are being sanctified (process of becoming perfected). The difference between the imputation and impartation of righteousness is of great importance here. Imputation of righteousness is the justification; believers have not yet received the perfection of God, but it is credited to their account. Impartation is the sanctification; where the Spirit of God conforms the believer to the image of Christ over time. The righteousness of God is received in full portion as they are entering Christ’s presence in glory (glorification).

(Romans 3:30, 8:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; Hebrews 11:1-3; 2 Peter 1:2-4)