Author: Lee A. Robinson

Misunderstanding Replacement Theology

/ Lee A. Robinson / 2 Comments

There are many voices out there right now speaking against “Replacement Theology.” I have noticed many misunderstandings and errors in these talks and thought it would be helpful to clarify a few of the major ones. My main concern in posting this is to urge for understanding, which will hopefully lead to more unity in the Body of Christ. Make sure you know exactly what INDIVIDUALS believe by asking THEM, instead of assuming what they believe based on a broad category someone else lumped them into.  

  1. Most proponents of “Replacement Theology” do not think that the Church has replaced Israel. They don’t think that God disinherited Israel, took away the promises pertaining to them and gave them to the Church. Rather, they think that God indeed fulfilled his promises to Israel in Jesus the Jewish Messiah and in the remnant believers of the congregation (assembly/church) of Israel. Joseph, Mary, Peter, John, Paul were all Jews. They were also the charter members of the New Testament Church. The faithful of ethnic, political Israel became the Church, the true, eternal spiritual Israel. The promises of God flowed like a single river from Abraham to Jesus, but when Jesus came the river burst out into many branches and spread around the world. There is only one river of God’s promises. There is only one People of God, not two. There is only one Olive Tree, not two. There is only one Congregation (Church), not two. There is only one New Covenant, not two. Therefore, “Replacement Theologians” prefer titles like “Fulfillment Theology” or “Expansion Theology,” which emphasize God truly keeping his promises to Israel and to a cohesion between Israel and the Church, rather than a severe division between the two.     
  1. Barely any “Replacement Theologians” are anti-semitic. You probably wouldn’t get that impression from most of these talks against “Replacement Theology.”  There are extremes in every theological camp, so yes anti-semitism does exist out there amongst them. However, among those who gladly claim to be Bible-Believing, Evangelical, Born Again Christians, I haven’t heard any anti-Jewishness, rather only love for Jews and gratitude for the special place they hold in Redemptive history. It is granted that those who hold to what is called “Replacement Theology” typically do not support Jews or the state of Israel unconditionally. They would say that if a Jew is being evil or the nation of Israel is engaging in unjust activities it should be called out and not supported. Basically, we should treat Jews and the nation of Israel with the same level of respect and accountability that we would to any other people or nation. This is contrasted to a Dispensationalists approach, which tends to favorably support Jews and the nation of Israel regardless of their actions. The motto tends to lean more in the direction of “I Stand With Israel…No Matter What.” Whereas most “Replacement Theologians” would think something more like, “I Stand With Israel…So Long As They Stand On The Side Of God.”  
  1. Most “Replacement Theologians” are staunch supporters of Biblical Inerrancy and the Literal approach to Bible Interpretation. It is a misrepresentation to say that “Replacement Theologians” interpret the Bible allegorically and Dispensationalists literally. Both do both, it’s just a matter of degree. Dispensationalists do not think Jesus is literally a wooden door, but take that as symbolic language. “Replacement Theologians” take the apostles literally when they say things like, “a Jew is not one outwardly in the flesh but inwardly in the spirit (Rom. 2)” meaning: being truly Jewish is not an ethnic reality, but a spiritual reality; or “If you belong to Christ then you are a child of Abraham and heir of the promise (Gal. 3)” or “they are not all Israel, which are of Israel (Rom. 9)” etc. Just because someone has a different understanding than yourself of certain passages doesn’t mean they are Bible deniers, unless you believe that all of your interpretations are infallible. 

Just as there are different forms (and cases of extremes) of every theology there are different forms of what is called “Replacement Theology.” Ask individuals what they believe. Then make sure to place the identity of Israel in it’s proper place of importance in the grand scheme of things. 

I hope this article was helpful to you. Please feel free to interact in the comments. Thank you for reading, Lee

Love: God’s Definition

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

Charity (Agape) – Love, benevolence, good will

LOVE = When I suffer, so other people can be blessed. 

THE LOVE OF GOD = Jesus suffered so we could be blessed.

  • The Greatest Commandment *First fruit of the Spirit *You are nothing without this 
  • The more excellent (superior/extraordinary) way. Better than any skill, talent, resource or ability
  1. Suffereth long – patient 

Longsuffering: Bearing injuries or provocation (annoyance; poking) for a long time. 

Patient: Having the quality of enduring evils without murmuring or fretfulness (irritation); sustaining afflictions of body or mind with fortitude, calmness and Christian submission to the divine will; Calm under the sufferance of injuries or offenses; not revengeful; not eager or hasty. 

1 Thessalonians 5:14 Be patient toward all men.

*The days of Noah, long suffering to us-ward…

  1. Kind – kind, gentle 

Gentle: mild; meek; soft; considerate; not rough, harsh or severe; as a gentle nature, temper or disposition; Tame; peaceable; not wild, as a gentle horse.

Luke 6:35 for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the holy

Think of all the people who receive rain, sun and good things from God. 

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. 

*You can have the right position with the wrong disposition (temperament). 

  1. Envieth not – envy, resentment, rivalry, jealousy 

Envy: To feel uneasiness or discontent, at the sight of superior excellence, reputation or happiness enjoyed by another; to repine at another’s prosperity; to fret or grieve one’s self at the real or supposed superiority of another, and to hate him on that account.

*Joseph’s brothers. Saul was envious of David. Pharisees and Jesus. 

*What do you do & how do you feel when someone else is blessed?

  1. Vaunteth not itself – to boast, brag, be arrogant, prideful  external 

Boast: to make a display of one’s own worth; to talk with excessive pride and self satisfaction about one’s achievements, possessions, or abilities. 

Proverbs 27:2 let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth 

2 Cor 10:10 for not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth

How do you handle winning or being better than others? What does boasting do to others? 

*Goliath Nebuchadnezzar (statue) Israel pride goes before destruction…  

  1. Not puffed up – to inflate yourself (balloon), haughty, conceited internal 

Conceited: having an inordinate estimation of oneself; feeling important

Romans 12:3 not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly

“Why can’t they just be more like me…the world would be a much better place.”

  1. Doth not behave itself unseemly – disgraceful, ill-mannered, rude, indecent, improper; inappropriate  

*(1) Things that bring shame on others. (2) Things that bring shame on self. 

What things do you say or do that bring shame or disgrace on someone else? 

When you act shameful in front of others, what does that say about how you view them? 

1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently (of high standing, proper) and in order 

Maintain the dignity (worthiness, respect) and honor of yourself and the others that are around you.

  1. Seeketh not her own – selfish, self-seeking, seeking one’s own interest or happiness above others 

Selfish: concerned excessively or exclusively with self. Lacking concern for others.  

*“I exist to make others happy, at the expense of my own happiness.” God is faithful.  

Hebrews 12:2 who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross

Matthew 16:24 …let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me 

Healthy negotiation/compromise/settlement 

  1. Is not easily provoked – to sharpen or excite heat; caused to be upset, irritated, made angry

James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

James 3:15-18 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

*What is at the root of being quick-tempered? – selfishness 

  1. Thinketh no evil – keeps no record of wrongs, forgives; is merciful; not treat others based on past failures

Hebrews 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Psalm 103:10-12 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities…As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

“You always . . . You never . . . Remember when . . . ”

  1. Rejoiceth not in iniquity – not glad when others commit sin, or when sin is present  

Ezekiel 33:11 I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked

David – Saul, Absalom   mercy triumphs over judgment 

How do you feel when other people get caught, punished or lose out? snitch 

  1. But rejoiceth in the truth – glad when anyone does right, and when righteousness is proclaimed  

Are you more concerned about winning, or about truth being exalted; about “being right” or that what is right would happen?  

  1. Beareth all things – to put up a roof; to keep confidential; to cover, to pass over in silence  

To put up with annoyance or difficulty; hides and excuses the faults of others 

1 Pet. 4:8 above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  

Proverbs 11:13 a talebearer revealeth secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter 

Pro 17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.  *Joseph concealed Mary *Against Gossip/busybody How do you handle secrets? juicy info? 

Are you trying to protect other people or make them exposed? 

  1. Believeth all things – convinced, confidence, trust 

Love believes that another person’s repentance is real (70×7).      

Quick to give the benefit of the doubt. Not judging others’ motives 

How many chances does God give us?  

  1. Hopeth all things – hope for, expect to see

Love is hopeful for the improvement & success of others – those who you don’t like. *Jonah

Mark 10:27 With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.  

  1. Endureth all things – to stand one’s ground, persevere, remains, stays  

Love sticks it out- cheerfully and without murmuring. Love is loyal and faithful – even in the face of others seeking your hurt. Love doesn’t divorce; Love doesn’t just run.

Charity never faileth – to fail, weaken; to drift off course. *Want to succeed? 

1 Cor. 14:1  Follow (diligently pursue) after charity

But How? (1) Accept the standard (2) Repent (3) Meditate (4) Believe (5) Repeat #1-4 forever  

Blessed Home

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

The Blessed Home 

Our homes are our haven, the place we run to when we want to be safe from the world. The home is meant to be the place of rest, where we get refueled to go back out into the world. Therefore, the condition of our homes is of utmost importance. We all want a blessed home; not an average home, and certainly not a cursed home. How does blessing, abundance, joy and prosperity come about – by chance, by fate? Not at all! Blessing is the direct result of our homes being aligned with the will and ways of God. Just like a garden that is well tended will be abundant, so our homes will be blessed if they are well cared for. In this article, I would like to briefly sketch out what a blessed home looks like and how we can position our homes for great blessing.  

The Bible is very clear that blessing is the result of righteousness, whereas a curse is the result of sin. Therefore, a house that has deep, fresh currents of joy and prosperity are ones that underlying everything else, holiness, righteousness and purity are preeminent. The blessed house is above all things a solid, godly, Christian Home. Psalm 127 Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. This means that no matter how hard we try on our own to have a successful home, if God is not pleased, then it’s not going to happen. Is your home a Christian Home? How much of a priority does purity and righteousness hold in your household? 

1 Chronicles 13:14 And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had. The ark of God represents the presence of God, specifically a sensitivity to the holiness of God. When a home is sensitive to God, being careful to please Him, the house and everyone and everything in it will be blessed. Is God welcome in your house? Is he at rest there?  

We must be able to say with no reservation, “This is not my house. This is God’s house.” We are simply stewards or managers of God’s house, which he has graciously allowed us to dwell in. We should ask ourselves, “What does he want to do with this house? What does he want to happen in this house? What does he not want in this house?” God must be spoken of often and honored by those who live within. The blessed home is ruled by the authority of the Bible. Bible reading and discussion of how life relates to the Word of God should be frequent. The name of Jesus will be spoken of with sweetness and songs to him will be sung. The blessed home is unashamedly a Christian Home. We should view our homes as little temples, with the man of the house being the chief priest and the woman his assistant. 

Great care should be taken to rid the home of idolatry in every way possible. Little children, keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:21). Obviously anything that is related to the occult or vestiges from other gods should be avoided: such as statues, icons or materials that are used in the worship of other gods. As Christians we are not superstitious: there is only one god that is living. However, we are not ignorant of the fact that demons are associated with the worship of certain things. So if we have materials used in our homes that are used in worship of other gods we are inviting demons and evil unclean spirits to our house.       

A blessed house is also a happy house. The people who live in it are inviting to one another, sweet, patient and have a servant’s heart. A blessed home is where the Holy Spirit is working out in the hearts and lives of the people who live inside. Conflicts are inevitable, but they are discussed and resolved swiftly and with fairness.  

A blessed house is a healthy house: spiritually, emotionally, physically, etc. It is a place that encourages growth and flourishing in every way. A place that desires the best for each and every person who resides there and only comes for a visit. 

The home is like a garden. A garden that is well maintained is beautiful, pleasant and yields an abundance of healthy fruits and herbs that bring life and healing to people – the home is the same way. A blessed garden needs to be well planned out, watered daily and fed when it needs it, positioned to get the right amount of sun, guarded from predators, and in the end patience for God to give the increase. We can apply these same principles to our home life. As gardeners of our homes we must make sure that our home is well maintained. It must be a stable home – a good garden is settled and rooted. There must be a settledness in the people that this is where they belong. There must be regular watering and feeding: the people inside must be fed with love, relationship and communication. We must guard our homes from allowing any predators to enter in – any voices from people or media who will be negative voices encouraging sin or fostering distrust or rebellion. We must watch over our homes vigilantly. Yes, blessing ultimately comes from God, but we must do our part to keep out of it anything that will ruin it.  

For the home to be blessed like a well tended garden, it must be saturated in the Word of God: Psalm 1 “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; And in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” The Word of God is powerful. It gives us the instruction we need for how to run a thriving home, but it also carries with it the power to enable us to do so.  

Deuteronomy 6 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and upon thy gates. 

God wanted his people so identified with his Word that it would be as though it was written on their hands and on their foreheads. Think about how obvious a tattoo on someone’s forehead is. This is how obvious it should be to others that we love the Word of God and identify with it. 

The Word of God is the root of a blessed house, and the Spirit of God is the fruit. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law. Galatians 5. Each member of the family carries the responsibility to yield themselves to the prompting of the Spirit instead of to the flesh. Our hearts are like spiritual weed producing factories. We must daily root out those temptations to be selfish, and tend to those mindsets and attitudes that produce the kinds of fruits mentioned here. 
Matthew 6. A Prayer for our homes. Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name (make your Name to be hallowed, set apart in this place). Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (as people come into this home, may they feel as though they stepped into heaven). Give us this day our daily bread (provide all that this household needs to survive and thrive. Give contentment). And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors (grant that a spirit of peacemaking happen in this place. Swift and willing reconciliation). And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (make this a house of purity and holiness. Guard this place from unclean spirits and surround it with your holy angels). For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, amen (may this house bring much glory to the name of Jesus Christ, through everything done here and everyone that lives here). Amen.

Featured

Police Can Engage Pursuit of Illegal Dirt Bikers

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

The reason given to me by a chief of police in Connecticut for why they do not engage in pursuit of illegal dirt bikes is because of what is called the Police Motor Vehicle Pursuit Policy. The policy states, “A police officer may only engage another vehicle in a pursuit if the officer has reasonable suspicion to believe that the driver or occupant has committed or is attempting to commit a crime of violence, or there are exigent circumstances that warrant the need to apprehend the suspect in a timely manner because of the potential for harm to the public if the apprehension does not occur. The officers must be able to articulate the exigent need to apprehend the driver or occupant because of the potential harm or risk to the public.”

The important phrase here is a “crime of violence.” It is said that an officer must prove that the occupant on the vehicle either just committed a crime of violence or is about to. So, it is reasoned, someone driving an unregistered dirt bike, speeding, doing wheelies, recklessly driving, disregarding street signs, and evading police do not fall under the category of a “crime of violence.” 

However, there is a critical qualifier: the policy also says, “…or there are exigent (pressing/demanding) circumstances that warrant the need to apprehend the suspect in a timely manner because of the potential harm to the public if the apprehension does not occur…” So pursuit does not only need to be justified on the grounds of a “crime of violence,” but could also include “exigent circumstances.” 

The following are reasons why the current illegal dirt bikers could be classified as “exigent circumstances,” and therefore be able to be pursued and stopped by police…

  1. Someone just died. Why did she die? On one hand she is responsible for breaking the law and putting herself in a very dangerous situation. But on the other hand, it would have been much, much more likely that she wouldn’t have had to have the temptation to get onto that bike if the public were not emboldened to do such activities with the permission of the authorities. So, yes, allowance of these bikers to continue unprevented is presenting pressing or demanding circumstances. Isn’t people needlessly dying enough cause to put an end to it?
  1. The general public is inordinately in danger of bodily harm because the illegal dirt bikers (1) drive recklessly with wheelies – presenting a dramatically increased potential for harm to themselves and others, (2) they are more often speeding than not, (3) they constantly disregard traffic lights and signs, (4) they drive on sidewalks, through yards, at playgrounds, etc. Maybe someone can help me with this, but wouldn’t the combination of all of these violations, repeatedly – on top of disregarding the police flagging them down – constitute more than mere infractions, and escalate pretty quickly to a misdemeanor or felony? 
  1. Allowance of them to freely operate their bikes illegally allows and encourages them to publically gather into mobs, which can and has dramatically increased the potential of erupting into mob violence, which the police have proven that they cannot handle. I have personally had two incidents in particular where this has happened…

(1) A young man was shot and killed last year in front of my house. The next day a mob of bikers essentially blocked traffic in front of my house (on a main road) and were also crowding in my yard and on my property. I called the police and a Sargent told me that they were not able to handle disbanding the crowd because of a lack of officers. What if this mob began to break into homes or attacked people? I was not able to bring my wife and three daughters home that night because of how dangerous and uncertain it was.

(2) In July of this year, our church was asked by a local police officer to evacuate the park because there was an imminent threat that a large group of bikers were planning to “take over” the park and for our safety we should leave. Isn’t this saying that these bikers are presenting dangers to the public – exigent circumstances? 

  1. Freely allowing these bikers to travel the streets with guaranteed no pursuit encourages and allows them to transport drugs or other illegal things freely. This provides an immediate increase in potential danger to our community through quicker and safer transportation of drugs and illegal firearms or other illegal means. We are already in the midst of an opioid/fentanyl/violence pandemic. The last thing we need is to provide secure transportation of those drugs and guns to people in this city.  

Aside from engaging in a pursuit, there must be some alternative way to apprehend this group of people (road blocks, stop sticks, or a combination of multiple tactics). These are a small group of (supposedly) unarmed young men on dirt bikes. Are these dirt bikers really a more powerful force than the entire police force? I don’t think so, but if they are, call in the National Guard. The public does not want them here, not one of them. We would be very glad if we never saw an illegal dirt bike on the roads again. The longer the problem is allowed to go on the more difficult and dangerous it is going to become. It needs to be clearly communicated to them that this city has a zero tolerance policy about this – “If you ride a bike in NL illegally, you will be immediately stopped by whatever means necessary and you will be charged with the full extent of the law.” 

Good, innocent people are in danger no matter which way we decide to move forward with the problem. People ARE getting hurt and killed. So who do you want killed? Engage in pursuit and do whatever you need to do to stop it. 

Aside from the danger that this presents, the situation simply gives these cities bad reputations and is a nuisance to our society. Who would want to move into a house or start a business where this is allowed to freely happen?  

I appreciate and pray for all of our law enforcement officers. They have been given their badge by God, and are responsible for a very difficult job. I pray that God will keep you safe, as well as give you wisdom and courage to reward those who do good, and punish those who do wrong.      

Aside from the civil problem and difficulty, there is a deeper spiritual problem here. Our society has increasingly disregarded God and pushed Him out of our lives. Because of this we have pushed away His wise and powerful Word and ways, and have adopted our own feeble and foolish ways. If we don’t want God’s authority then we will not get God’s wisdom, protection and blessing. Our homes are devoid of faithful fathers because our society wants to enjoy free sex, which the governmental schools encourage and the state subsidizes. We need to return back to our foundations, which is faith in Christ and obedience to the Bible. Go to church – a good church that preaches the Bible faithfully and strives to obey it. Get married and stay married. Have children and take responsibility for them. Instruct and discipline them. Home school your children or enroll them in a Christian school. Get a job and keep it – earn your own bread. This is the way to societal blessing, protection and flourishing. “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” Psalm 2  

Is Romans 8:28 applicable to all Christians? 

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

Romans 8:28 must be considered one of the most precious promises in all of the Bible: “And we know (for certain) that all things (ALL things) work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (God has a good, glorious plan for our lives and He will accomplish it).” Talk about an all-encompassing, hope-filled, victorious promise! What is the promise? It is that we have a deep, abiding confidence that everything that happens in our lives – whether positive or the worst kind of negative we could imagine – all of it comes into our lives only with the authorization of our loving heavenly Father, and that His design for allowing it to come into our life is to bless us. No wonder Romans chapter 8 ends by saying that we are more than conquerors through him that loved us! 

But the big question we want to tackle here is this – Does this promise apply to all Christians? It doesn’t say that all things work together for good “Christians,” but rather for those who “love God.” So the main question that is really being answered is, “Who are these ones that are referred to that ‘love God.’” Either someone can be a genuine Christian and not be in the category of those who “love God.” Or, all Christians “love God” (at least in the sense of what is referred to in Romans 8:28). That’s what this article is about. I would like to attempt to prove that those who “love God” refers to all Christians. The ramifications I think are huge and pretty obvious: it is of untold assurance for us if it does apply to all Christians. If not, then it is not a little unsettling. The promise has been a high tower that many a Christian have run to, and the ones who probably need the promise the most are not those who are very mature and “have it all together,” but rather those believers who are weak, struggling and weary on the journey.  

Our main consideration in answering this questions will be to look at the context of Romans 8. It seems clear to me that the whole chapter is talking about characteristics of and promises for all genuine believers. 

In the beginning of the chapter there is a discussion about people who walk according to the flesh versus those who walk according to the spirit. Romans 8:1 teaches that all true believers in Jesus “walk according to the spirit, not according to the flesh.” Jesus said that those who are born of the flesh are flesh and those who are born of the Spirit are spirit. In other words, the fundamental nature of an unregenerate person is that of the flesh – they are fleshly, or “in the flesh.” Contrariwise, the fundamental nature of a regenerate person is that of the Spirit – they are spiritual, or “in the Spirit.” Of course, Christians can act fleshly, but to one degree or another they have to war against their own nature to act that way; they have to wrestle with the Spirit in them first. 

Romans 8:4 says that the law is fulfilled in us (regenerate believers) “who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.” So Paul reasons that all believers “walk after the Spirit.” Again, it’s not saying that we are sinless, but rather that it is our nature to be spiritual. If you’re still skeptical I think verses 8 and 9 seal the deal: “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his.” So, if you are a regenerated believer in Jesus then you are never “in the flesh,” but are rather “in the Spirit” (at least as is defined by Paul here in Romans 8). 

Romans 8:14 continues by saying, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Again, no Christian is flawless in following or submitting to the Holy Spirit, but the prevailing character of our life is that we do follow Him. If you examine your life and it doesn’t seem like there is any difference between the direction of your life and that of the world – if there is no higher level of concern for purity and doing the will of God – then you simply just may not have been regenerated by the Spirit of God. For the true Christian there is something deep down inside of us constantly crying out “Abba, Father!” When you sin as a Christian what is the deep cry of your heart? Is it not, “God please forgive me. God please help me. God have mercy upon me. God I wish this was not the case?” That is the Spirit of God in you, convicting you. 

These sons and daughters of God – those who are spiritual in nature & those who do know God as Father – those sons and daughters who often find themselves weak and disobedient, and perhaps even at times rebellious – what is their hope? What is their destiny? Verse 17 says, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” The necessary future for the sons of God is that they are heirs of God, and will be glorified together with Christ! This is the bunch of people who are being talked about in Romans 8. 

Now, trace with me who is being spoken of in this passage. Starting in verse 16, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Who is the “we” in verse 16? – the children of God. 

Verse 17 – we are heirs of God, we suffer with him, and also we will be glorified together with Him. 

Verse 18 says, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Who is the “us?” The same group in verses 16-17: regenerated believers. 

Verses 19-22 introduce a parenthetical, relevant side note about the natural creation: in the same way believers have hope of an ultimate glorification, so too nature itself is longing for the time when it will be completely released from the curse and set free from the effects of sin. But in verse 23 we are back to the main people under discussion. Notice who is being spoken of: “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit (regenerated believers in Jesus), even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved (Christians) by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:23-27) 

A review so far from Romans 8:1 up to this point (verse 27) shows that there is one group under discussion: those who are “in Christ;” those who are “in the Spirit;” they are “led by the Spirit;” they are heirs of God; they will be glorified together with Christ; the Spirit intercedes for them according to the will of God; they are called “saints.” 

So it is very clear that all the way up until verse 28 we are specifically talking about Christians – saved people – not a special class among Christians who are particularly, uniquely godly. So then the recipients of the promise of 8:28 is to same group of people, unless we are to think for some reason Paul changed his mind at this point about who he was referring to? I think this can be shown to absolutely NOT be the case by continuing on after the phrase “to them that love God…” 

It says, “to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” So those who “love God” is also the same group as those who are “the called.” This then is connected with verses 29-30. Those who were foreknown, were predestined, were called, were justified and were glorified. This is all talking about various marvelous things that have happened to the same group of people – Christians – all Christians.   

Verse 31 then concludes “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Who is the “us?” It is the same group being talked about all along. This is where it really starts to make sense of it all in light of Romans 8:28. If God is for us Christians then certainly all things are going to work together for good for all Christians. 

Verse 32 – God spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all. Did God only give his Son for mature Christians or for all Christians? 

Verse 33 – Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? Who are the elect? Are the elect only mature Christians who are especially obedient to the Father? No. God’s elect are Christians: those whom He has chosen to save and ultimately conform to the image of his Son. 

Needless to say the rest of the chapter is pretty clear from here on out that the glorious, wonderful promises of God’s love and faithfulness apply to all who are in Christ. 

I would like to end though with some thoughts on why I think Paul did use the phrase, “to them that love God,” as opposed to just saying something like “Christians.” I think he described it like this because you cannot truly be a genuine Christian and not love God, at least in some ssense. Loving God and the brethren are some of the main assurances of Salvation that John spoke about in his epistles. The love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5). Deep down every Christian loves God. I believe my children truly do love me and they prove it most of the time in their life, but they are certainly weak and fail often. Put bluntly, if someone says they are a Christian but there’s no evidence in their life that they love God, but rather that they love the world and sin, then they cannot have assurance that they are Christian, and therefore not only does Romans 8:28 not apply to them, but none of any of the promises of this whole chapter apply to them either.

Romans 8:28 is glorious. It is even more glorious to realize that this promise is ours not ultimately on the basis of us earning it by being good kids, but on the basis of God’s goodness towards us in Christ – even as we struggle with indwelling sin, with this evil world, and with dark evil powers. We are sheep, God knows this. The Shepherd takes care of his sheep even when they don’t ask. If they were super awesome sheep then they wouldn’t need such a glorious Shepherd. God sent His Son to die for us while we were sinners. How much more now that we know God and love God can we be assured that His goodness and mercy will pursue after us all the days of our life? 

So the main point of this article if you have made it this far is this, don’t read Romans 8:28 and think to yourself, “I don’t live up to God’s standard of perfection, therefore some things in my life will not work for my good. The problems in my life are ultimately the creation of the choices of my own fallen nature.” Don’t say that and don’t think that. What kind of hope, joy and encouragement is that going to bring into you? Rather, read Romans 8:28 this way: “I do love God. Deep down it breaks my heart when I sin. I shouldn’t sin and God help me not to sin anymore. But thank you, God, that I didn’t earn your grace from the beginning based on me being good and by being perfect. You gave me this amazing grace because you Loved me and gave yourself for me. Thank you, God, that I can trust you that you love me more than I love me, and that you want my good more than I want my good. I can trust that you are in control of my life and all the circumstances of it, and that you will leave me and guide me in a perfect way.” All glory to God! 

Was Paul Crucified For You?

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

The Church in Corinth was split into factions or parties. A spirit emerged where they became more loyal to human leaders (Paul , Apollos, etc.) than to Jesus Christ himself. Might there possibly be in you a spirit of superiority over your particular spiritual leader (such as a Pastor) or your association to a particular church? A question that cuts right to the heart of too much admiration of men is this one – Was Paul crucified for you? When we return to who Jesus is and what he has done for us, it makes loyalty to men seem like an abomination. From beginning to end, the whole entire Faith, is all wrapped up in the person of Jesus! In addition to Paul’s question, here are 40 other questions we could ponder. Apply these questions to your spiritual leaders or to your particular church . . .