Epaggelia

Paul wrote this letter for many different reasons, but here are three.

• Romans 1:11-15, to make a personal gift.

• Romans 4:1, 6:1, 7:7, 8:31, 9:14-30, 16:17, to help them understand the difference between truth and error in The Faith.

• Romans 1:17 & 12-16, to help empower them to live by faith and imitate Christ. See Habakkuk 2:4.

Paul begins and ends his message with the phrase, “for obedience to the faith”, 1:5 & 16:26. Everything in between is like fuel for our faith. Now we need to fill our tanks, then we can go and do what is right in God’s eyes.

Paul addresses Christians with the following descriptions:

“The Called”, 1:6, this is fulfilling the prophetic desire of God from Isaiah 48:12. The Spirit of Christ calls us, “the called”, Rom. 8:28. See 1^st Cor. 1:9 & 1^st Pet. 2:9.

“Beloved of God”, 1:7. Duet. 33:12, has a clear inference to this affection of God. See Colossians 3:12.

“Saints”, 1:7, in the New Testament, this word is always in the plural. Showing us that God views us as holy when we are together in fellowship. We can not stay separated long and stay holy and pure. See Acts 9:32, there are many more verses that call Christians “saints”. The Catholic idea of only a select or exhalted Christian being called a saint is not God’s view of SAINTS.

Paul knew that Christians must have a correct and focused view of the environment they live in. Rome was morally polluted and God had given up on many people around them, 1:24-28, this is one of the saddest verses of the entire Bible. But with Christ in the middle of Rome, hope was present and alive. What put their neighbors at such a disadvantage with God? Vile passions and debased minds, 1:25, 28. Our friends in the world have a shining light amongst them, in you! Keep yourself away from anything that is immoral, 1^st Cor. 6:9. We must fill ourselves up with God’s righteousness, Mt. 12:4-45.

There are three feelings in the human heart.  Thanksgiving, Forgiving and Giving Compassion.  When we feel resentment towards anything or anyone, it is a clear signal that our heart is lacking forgiveness. We try to ignore it by quoting phrases like “to err is human and forgive divine”, while we justify our resentment. But forgiveness is a desire, it’s not always a goal that is met, but it is a desire. Jesus wanted to forgive people that put him on a cross. Why can’t we want to forgive each other? Here are 4 Common Problems:

1. I can NOT forgive.  We should rephrase that feeling with I WILL not forgive. See James 2:10. The example of Joseph and Stephen are both goals for us to create in our heart a desire to forgive and prevent resentment.

2. I’m going to forgive, but in future I’m not having anything to do with you.  The goal we must set for our self is love God shows in his kind of forgiveness, Ephesians 4:32.

3. It’s a favor from me to you.   In fact, the reverse is true. We should freely forgive one another, see Colossians 3:13.  The repentant offender can be forgiven by God without me extending forgiveness, but with a self-righteous attitude, I cannot be forgiven unless I  try to forgive the person I offended. So when I freely forgive, I put myself in good standing with God and my own conscience.

4. I’m going to forgive, but I’m not forgetting”  God does not keep a filing system and neither should we. There is a way to work on our memory and there is a way to work on our “forgetter”.  We forget all kinds of shopping lists. Why can’t we forget past sins?  Hebrews 8:12, 10:17.

Parenthood can be a good tool, which God uses to teach us about His nature and will.  Sometimes parents make promises of gifts for children’s good behaviour in return for the gift.  That is obviously trying to strike a deal for both parent and child to benefit.  Sometimes parents make promises of punishment for the child’s bad behaviour, trying to prevent future pain, loss and suffering. God is a great and good Father, making both kinds of promises.  We need to tell people that our Heavenly Father always keeps His promises of gifts and benefits to us on conditions, but because we are sinners, His promises of punishment are made without conditions. The wages of sin is our own physical death! Romans 6:23, 2^nd Thes. 1:8. Equally true, the wages of Christ’s death is eternal life with God in love with His creation. Here are some aims of God’s Spirit. God has many purposes and promises in His word. The Holy Spirit Himself wants to teach us about His purposeful and promise filled presence in the Christian’s daily life.

1.      Being Born of the Spirit, John 3:1-8

2.      The Indwelling Presence of the Promised Spirit, Acts 2:39, Rom. 8:9, Gal. 3:14.

3.      The Supply, Fellowship & Unity of the Spirit, Philippians 1:19-2:1, Eph. 4:3

4.      The Law and Sword of the Spirit, Rom. 8:1-5, & 1^st Cor. 2:14, Jer. 31:31-33, 2^nd Cor. 3:6 & Ephesians 6:17

5.      The Firstfruit/Earnest/Seal of the Spirit, Rom. 8:23-27, 2Cor. 1:22, Eph. 1:13-14

6.      The Love & Fruit of the Spirit, Rom. 15:30, Gal. 5:22-23, Eph. 5:9.

7.      The Sanctification of the Spirit, 2^nd Thes. 2:13 & 1^st Peter 1:2

Do you believe God’s Spirit promises the following?

1. New Life.

2. His Presence.

3. Unity with other Christians.

4. Writing His law of faith in Christ on our heart.

5. Sealing our hearts with a guarantee of an eternal inheritance.

6. Pouring out His love into our heart.

7. Helping us grow in sanctification.

“Whatever it’s glorious truths, the Bible looms as an intimidating, hard-to-understand book full of esoteric names and mystifying practices” – (G. Gallup Jr., “The Next American Spirituality”). There are five words quick becoming the mantra of the new millennium: “I’m into spirituality, not religion”… More and more people are viewing the Bible as more about feeling good and not being good, more about stress reduction than salvation, more therapeutic than theological, it’s as much about the body as it is the soul. What should a Christian’s reaction be?

“The Bible is outdated, mistranslated and not essential for learning the truth”. Many agnostics are of this view. What should a Christian’s reaction be?

“You can trust the Bible, but not it’s interpretation”. This false view is sometimes found in the Church and abounds in the denominations. What should our reaction be?

Our view of the Bible directly affects how we use the Bible. Charles Spurgeon said, “How do you defend the Bible? The way you defend a lion, open up the cage and let it out!” Remember there are two lions in the world, the lion of the tribe of Judah (Gen.49:9-10 & Rv. 5:5) and the roaring lion (1Pt.5:8) Peter mentions seeking to devour anyone of us. In the Bible, the spirit of Judah’s lion wants to exercise His power and word on your heart and the hearts of others you talk to.

The best view of the Bible is found in Hebrews 4:12. The writer claims that the Bible is alive and active. What is your view and reaction towards others? Perhaps the most interesting truth about this activity and power the Bible has, is that it’s not going to push itself into our heart. The Holy Spirit of Christ simply opens hearts when they are submitted to Him, that is what the message of the gospel does. The question is, can we submit our heart to His word? Do we ask for more faith in His promises?

Our reaction to differing viewpoints about the Bible, really ought to be a prayerful reaction. Like the apostle Paul said, my prayer and heart’s desire is for others to be saved. (Romans 10:1) Can you ask God to help your friends to submit the desires of their hearts to their Creator, Father and Lord? Of course you can. The best view is a prayerful view.

Read Mark 1:17, it is not coincidental that Jesus performed filling nets with fish miraculously at least twice, Luke 5:11, John 21:6. We cast the net; He puts the fish in!  Successful evangelism is not determined by how many baptisms we have in a year.  Good evangelism is determined by how we cast the net. 

Remember the parable of the weeds, where “the field”, had both wheat and tares, Matthew 13:24-30.

Peter used the sailor’s term for “casting” in 1st Peter 5:7, in reference to our personal anxieties.  The only thing Paul was anxious about in his prayers was the health of the church, 2nd Corinthians 11:28 and the salvation of lost souls, Romans 10:1. God teaches us that our aim is to be anxious for nothing, Philippians 4:6. So strictly speaking, scripturally, the only thing God may find pleasing about our anxiety, is directed in prayer for the lost state of other people. 

The method of learning how to catch people spiritually is to imitate Jesus as best you can. Jesus said, “Follow Me”.  What would Jesus say, if he met a visitor in the assembly? Some of us do not have a clue, and we do not feel confident enough about our faith, to put ourselves in the Master’s shoes, in order to try to emulate Him.  So we need to get to know our “net”, (The Gospel), in order to use it well. 

The Gospel of God, 1st Peter 4:17.  Is about how good God is and how bad we need Him.

The Gospel according to the power of God, 2nd Timothy 1:8, Is about how powerful He is and how weak we are.

The Gospel of the grace of God, Acts 20:24. Is about how God treats us like as if we had no sin!

The Gospel of the Kingdom, Matthew 24:14.  Is about how well God rules our hearts when we are in submission.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, Galatians 1:7, Romans 1:9, 16, 2nd Corinthians 2:12.  Is about how real and alive Jesus Christ’s Spirit is today!

The Gospel of the glory of Christ, 2nd Corinthians 4:4.  Is about how well Christ shines in the world and in the church through individual Christians that let Him shine through the expression of their faith.

The Gospel of your salvation, Ephesians 1:13.  Is about the many ways and means of His deliverance of our soul into eternal life.

The Gospel of peace, Ephesians 6:15.  Is about how God makes friends with us, even though we sometimes act like enemies.

The Gospel for the circumcised and the gospel for the uncircumcised, Galatians 2:7.  Is about how God never plays favorites and shows no partiality to race, nationality or culture. 

 How do we talk about Good News from God?

The Spirit’s job, is to convict us of sin. In order for that to happen, we need to talk about sin and how we have all become enslaved to the Kidnapper (Satan). John 16:7-11. Satan makes us spiritually sick. Sin can only be cured by believing and being IN Christ, v9. Satan owns us, we sell our selves out to him with our own sin. The consequences of sin is replaced by the righteousness of Christ, v10. Satan is condemned and we don’t want to be judged with him, v11.

Spiritual, – he came before God among the angels, Job 1:6, 2:1. He is compared to a roaring lion wanting to devour, 1^st Pt. 5:8, but not always getting to, he is not the ruling Lion of the Tribe of Judah, but the ruler of this world.

Accuser – False, This is what the word “Devil” (Diabolos) means, The father of lies, Jn 8:44, Authored sin and deceives, 2^nd Corinthians 4:3-6, blinds the unbeliever from the God of light.

Tempter, 1^st Thessalonians 3:5. Tempted Jesus, Matthew 4:1-10. Tempts us, 1^st John 2;15-16, Satan entices us into sin and breaks off our fellowship with God, Isaiah 59:2, Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 6:23.

Adversary, this is what the word “Satan” means. Matthew 12:24, Jesus taught Satan was the ruler or prince of this world, John 14:30.

Negotiator, Gen. 3:1, Lied to Eve, Gen. 3:4 in telling her, she will “Not die”? Satan often deceives us into thinking that we are getting a great deal if we will indulge in sinfulness. Ananias & Sapphira were both fooled into thinking they would get a great reputation for their deception, Acts 4:32-5:11

A few months ago, I was shocked to learn that my wife met a workmate on the job and discovered on lunch break that her workmate, really and truly did not know that Jesus was a real person. To our surprise, she really thought that Jesus was just a word, to be concise, simply a curse word, or at least that is what she said in all honesty.  What amazing ignorance!

One thing is for sure, our faith is not to be shared in a corner. Never does the New Testament talk about Christians sharing The Faith secretly. Even in the face of persecution, they were open and honest in identifying themselves with Jesus. The apostle Paul warns Timothy to beware of his own timidity and to grow in boldness. (2^nd Timothy 1:6-9). Boldness does not mean brashness. Loving a lost soul will control our boldness to be confident with out being deliberately offensive. One way of ensuring we do not put more people off, than turning people on, is to remember and believe that God is wanting to make known the riches of His glory through you, an object of His mercy, Romans 9:23.

Being ready is being prepared, As shoes for your feet put on what will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace, Eph. 6:15.

The beauty and pleasure you and God get from being prepared is known and shown in the Scriptures: And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Rom. 10:15.

Have we sanctified Christ as Lord in our hearts beforehand?

Is your defence yours, or does it belong to someone else?

Does The Hope, The Gospel of Peace live in you or just on paper?

Do we make Prayerful preparation for talking about Jesus?

Do we believe the Holy Spirit has written these principles on our heart?

Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant”. More importantly the apostle Paul encourages us to  remember that God’s purpose in giving the world the church is to  MAKE KNOWN the many faceted aspects of God’s wisdom through Jesus.