Bible League: Living His Word For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.— Romans 5:10 ESV A while ago, I was reading in Romans 5, and the words there reminded me of one of my favorite stories from the gospel of Luke. A Pharisee has invited Jesus to dinner, and while they are visiting together, a "sinful" woman comes in and begins to wash Jesus' feet with her tears, drying them with her hair, and anointing His feet with ointment. Jesus' host is shocked, but Jesus answers his critique by telling a parable about a great debtor who is forgiven by his moneylender. Jesus applies the parable with this line: "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little" (Luke 7:36-50). Now the reader must be careful to see that it is not the show of her love that earns her forgiveness. Jesus clarifies that in His mini-parable about the debtors. First the debts are forgiven, then the love comes. Jesus clarifies it further in verse 50, where He says to the woman, "Your faith has saved you." As we study the Bible, we know God better. As we know His holiness better, we see the contrast of our sin more clearly. However, if the Holy Spirit has worked in us, our sin does not push us away from God, but pulls us toward him. Like the woman in the story, when we are forgiven, we will fall to our knees and kiss Jesus' feet in gratitude for the forgiveness we have been given—as a free gift—through his death and resurrection. Now it was a single word, "much," that in my mind connected this passage with Romans 5:5-11. In this passage, the word reconciled is repeated a few times. When you reconcile your check book, you are matching your records (which may contain errors) with the bank's error-free records. As we are reconciled to God, our ledger is made to match that of Christ's—debt free! But another definition is to restore friendship and harmony. We are told in verse 10 that while we were still God's enemies, we were reconciled to him. And since we are justified by Christ's death, "much more... shall we be saved by his life." Justification from the mountains of sins that people have piled up over thousands of years is no small thing, but God says "much more" comes in the salvation life. Verse 11 says, more than reconciliation and salvation, we rejoice in God! We must not be rigid like that Pharisee—we must move beyond the academics of redemption and experience the joy that comes from the realization of what we've been saved to. Life in Christ is about the "much more!" I propose that some of the tears wept by the woman in Luke 7 were tears of sorrow at what she'd been saved from, but most were tears of joy for what she'd been saved to! She had been forgiven much so she loved much. May we as well love much and be inspired to offer our lives for kingdom service because of the deep gratitude and joy that flows from the salvation life that is ours. By Grace Barnes, Bible League International volunteer, Michigan U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingZechariah 4, 5, 6 Zechariah 4 -- The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees Foreshow Success of Zerubbabel's Foundation NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Zechariah 5 -- The Flying Scroll; The Woman in a Basket NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Zechariah 6 -- The Vision of the Four Chariots; The Symbolic Crowns of Joshua NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Revelation 18 Revelation 18 -- Babylon Is Fallen; Lament over Her NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.Insight God may have seemed slow to these believers as they faced persecution every day and longed to be delivered. But God is not slow; he just is not on our timetable. Jesus is waiting so that more sinners will repent and turn to him. Challenge We must not sit and wait for Christ to return, but we should live with the realization that time is short and that we have important work to do. Be ready to meet Christ any time, even today; yet plan your course of service as though he may not return for many years. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Isaiah 58:11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually."The Lord shall guide thee." Not an angel, but Jehovah shall guide thee. He said he would not go through the wilderness before his people, an angel should go before them to lead them in the way; but Moses said, "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." Christian, God has not left you in your earthly pilgrimage to an angel's guidance: he himself leads the van. You may not see the cloudy, fiery pillar, but Jehovah will never forsake you. Notice the word shall--"The Lord shall guide thee." How certain this makes it! How sure it is that God will not forsake us! His precious "shalls" and "wills" are better than men's oaths. "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Then observe the adverb continually. We are not merely to be guided sometimes, but we are to have a perpetual monitor; not occasionally to be left to our own understanding, and so to wander, but we are continually to hear the guiding voice of the Great Shepherd; and if we follow close at his heels, we shall not err, but be led by a right way to a city to dwell in. If you have to change your position in life; if you have to emigrate to distant shores; if it should happen that you are cast into poverty, or uplifted suddenly into a more responsible position than the one you now occupy; if you are thrown among strangers, or cast among foes, yet tremble not, for "the Lord shall guide thee continually." There are no dilemmas out of which you shall not be delivered if you live near to God, and your heart be kept warm with holy love. He goes not amiss who goes in the company of God. Like Enoch, walk with God, and you cannot mistake your road. You have infallible wisdom to direct you, immutable love to comfort you, and eternal power to defend you. "Jehovah"--mark the word--"Jehovah shall guide thee continually." Daily Light on the Daily Path Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,2 Corinthians 5:19,21 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. • He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Colossians 1:20-22 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. • And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, • yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-- Colossians 2:14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Ephesians 2:15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
    |