Month: July 2021

Romans 3:21-26, NKJV

Consider that any one of us was on trial for our crimes in man’s court of law. The prosecuting attorney puts forth witnesses and indisputable evidence to prove us guilty. On the other hand, the defending attorney makes the same effort to find us not guilty. In Romans 1:18-3:20 Apostle Paul declared that no one was innocent in God’s court. He revealed that we all were found guilty of sin before God – both the Jews and the Gentiles. We were all ungodly and deserving of the wrath of God. Scripture declares that God is no respecter of person. He is the Creator, and we belong to Him. He loves us but not sin. Therefore, He has the right to bring His holy wrath upon any one who refuses to repent and turn from our wicked ways. The Jews, being God’s chosen people, believed that they were saved by the law.  The law cannot save us; it makes us aware of sin, but no flesh will be justified, declared not guilty, in His sight by the deeds of the law.

So it is now clear that the righteousness of God is apart from the law (21). This righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe and acknowledge him as God’s Son. “For there is no difference (22); for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (23), being justified without any cost by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (24). “God set Jesus forth to shed His blood as a life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation for us to be received by faith. This was to satisfy His righteous wrath. For without it we were all bound for eternal damnation. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness for the forgiveness of sins that were committed before Jesus’ crucifixion, (25) and that He might be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (26). Thank God for mercy. Give Him glory!

1 Peter 2:6-10

Christ is a Living Stone – the Chief corner stone of the church. We who are in union with him are also living stones built up by Him. As the church, the Holy Spirit dwells in us; therefore, we must be holy as the temple of the living God. Our responsibility as priests is “to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ” (5b). In verse 6 Scripture prophesies what Christ is to believers: “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” Unbelievers may foolishly refuse to repent and accept Jesus, the life-giving stone. However, those of us who trust in God we believe that Jesus was chosen and precious. No matter how bleak our situation may seem, there will never be shame to a child of God. Hold your head up and press on by faith in Christ.

Then the apostle prophesies about what Christ is to sinners. To those that believe, Jesus is precious; however, to those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,” (7) and “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” It is disobedience to God’s word that caused them to stumble then and causes us to stumble now. We are appointed to stumble (8) if we reject God’s word. Jesus is precious, chosen by God. He is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to the stubborn disobedient. It’s our choice.

As believers, here’s what we are to God: (a) chosen generation, (b) royal priesthood, (c) holy nation, and (d) His own special, or peculiar, people. You have been bought with the blood of Jesus. He “called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (9). Thank God for mercy; “We are now His people”(10), the holy temple of the living God. Give Him glory!

1 Peter 2:4-5, GNT

Children of God are spiritually awakened and blessed to be born again. As a new creature with a new nature in Christ, we have tasted the sincere milk of God’s word and that the Lord is kind. As we daily long for His word, we grow spiritually. We, therefore, enjoy a life free of “malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking” (2:1).

In verse 4 Peter informs these believers of the powerful position they’re in in Christ: “Come to the Lord, the living stone rejected by people as worthless but chosen by God as valuable.” Accept Christ, the precious, living Stone that man rejected and crucified, yet chosen by God. Many saw Him as worthless, but God saw Him as valuable. What about you? Do you see the value in accepting Jesus as your Savior and Lord, or are you among the ungrateful that sees Him as worthless? He died on the cross, making it possible for God to redeem us through the power of the Holy Spirit. He promises that all who believe in Him may live forever (John 3:15).  How much more valuable must one be for acceptance?

Peter goes on in verse 5 to say that we are also living stones. God built us up as “the temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 6:16) of holy priests. How do we please God? Our reasonable duty is to set ourselves apart as a living sacrifice. We offer sacrifices that are spiritual and acceptable to Him through Jesus Christ. Don’t reject the chosen Stone of eternal life.

1 Peter 2:1-3

Every living organism goes through various stages of development to reach maturity. Human growth – physical and emotional – will be stunted if a child doesn’t get adequate nutrition. The same principle applies for a newborn Christian’s spiritual growth. First Peter chapter Two tells these young believers what they needed to do to grow spiritually. In order to connect the last part of 1 Peter 1:23-25 with 1 Peter 2:1, Peter begins with “therefore.” He’s saying that we have the DNA of Christ Jesus. “Having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1:23), we are to “lay aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking” (2:1). These are the traits of corruptible seed – the seed of carnal man. Get rid of them, or they will stunt our spiritual growth. Believers are not to live according to the flesh because we will die. Scripture promises that if we live by the Spirit, we will kill the deeds of the body, and we will live (Romans 8:13).

Peter identifies these young believers as “newborn babes” in Christ. Just as a baby needs the right physical food to grow properly, a new born-again believer needs the right spiritual food to grow properly. Apostle Peter commands “like newborn babies [we should] long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it we may be nurtured and grow in respect to salvation” (v.2, AMP).

A baby wants to eat every two to three hours and will cry for it. We must have a daily desire for the Word as a baby has for his/her food. God’s Word is pure and wholesome nourishment for our soul. When last have you had a hungered for it? The more we read and study God’s Word or listen to it, the healthier we grow spiritually. For sure our life will improve if in fact we have tasted, that is experienced, the goodness and gracious kindness of the Lord (v.3).