King James Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: One God For All
For: Friday November 19, 2010
Chapters: Acts 1-3
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Details of Today's Reading: Paul explains how people lose their knowledge of God, that both Jew and Gentile come from the same God, that we are all subject to God's judgment and no law can save us, only by our faith in Jesus Christ are we saved.

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Now we begin reading the epistles (letters), most of which were written by Paul during his ministry (Noted in the Book of Acts). The Book of Romans is the sixth book of the New Testament, forty-fifth book of the Bible, and contains sixteen chapters. The author of the book is Paul and it was written to the believers in Rome. The purpose of the book, also known as Romans road, was to show that salvation is given by faith to all believers of Christ and not by any law. It details the previous law of Moses and presents the meaning of the Gospel in relation to law, prophecy, and the universal need of man for salvation only by faith. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” - Romans 1:16.

Paul is writing a letter to the Romans, he was in Corinth and heard about their faith in the Gospel, but there was some confusion between the Jews and Christians. “For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” - Romans 1:11-16.

Paul confirms to all that salvation is not just for the Jews or Gentiles (anyone not a Jew), it is for all who believe. The Gospel, is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and it is to be preached to all, without faith in the Gospel you can not be saved, regardless of who you are. He then explains that we are all born with the knowledge of God from birth, but we lose that knowledge when we give in to our own imaginations. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things...And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;” - Romans 1:20-23,28.

The word reprobate means to be rejected by God and beyond hope of salvation, these are people who reject that God even exists and come up with theses theories of evolution, the big bang, and whatever else they try to drum up with their vain imaginations. The truth is that they do not want to accept that there is a much higher power above them that created them. Whether Jew or Gentile, we are all going to face Jesus one day, no one is exempt from judgment day, “Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” - Romans 2:6-13.

In fact, Paul stresses that the Jews did not get it right either, there are just as unrighteous as the Gentiles. “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ” - Romans 3:9-12.

Sometimes I envy the Jews, they were God's chosen people, they witnessed manna, His presence over a cloud, the parting of the Red sea, miracle after miracle, yet never showed gratitude and obeyed only when they wanted something. Then it comes to me, I have witnessed my own miracles and have not shown gratitude or always obeyed Him either. I am no different that a Jew, Christ died for me and for you, “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” - Romans 3:22-26.

To be justified means to be acquitted, set free from all our sins, by our faith in Jesus Christ. We are not set free by what we do for God, who we are, or where we came from, we are set free by accepting that we are a sinner and believing in Jesus, who died and shed His blood to set us free. “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.” -Romans 3:26-30.

Be blessed, enjoy the rest of your day/night and weekend, and God Bless You.
I am praying for you,
Christina

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