'Disgustingly Normal'! Romans 3:10-26

Text: “...for there is no difference; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God...”                                                                                                                                                  Romans 3:22-23.

Good morning, disgustingly normal Christian!  In your daily sins and mine we are in a natural state of being utterly disgusting in the sight of a pure and absolutely Holy Lord God.

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth (Christ Jesus) is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) (John 14:6)

“But we are ALL as an unclean thing, and ALL our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we ALL do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”  (Isaiah 64:6)

God’s Word doesn’t seek to sugar-coat our natural state of sinfulness; it tells it like it is, and we are forced to admit that we are of ourselves, disgusting in the eyes of God Almighty.                     (Habakkuk 1:13)

The Psalmist, speaking under the full inspiration of God the Holy Spirit writes:  “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”    (Psalm 51:5)

Job concurs, under the same Spiritual inspiration: “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?  Not one.”  (Job 14:4)

Therefore it follows that, we do not become sinners when we commit our first sin.  We commit our first sin because we are natural born sinners!  Sinning is completely natural for all mankind born in Adam’s fallen image.  That’s the bottom line for us all. 

“And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years (after his Fall from grace in Eden); and begat a son IN HIS IMAGE; and called his name Seth...” (Genesis 5:3)

Only a complete and unenlightened fool, blinded by self-righteousness, would even dare to argue with the above Scriptural conclusion of mankind’s utter and disgusting sinfulness when compared to the impeccably pure Holiness of God the Son, Christ Jesus.  (Solomon's. Song 5:16)

However, praise God, this is not the end of the story for us.  Read on, the Lord has provided ‘Good News’ indeed for those who will admit to our disgustingly sinful state. 

“As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” (Proverbs 25:25)

Our text today concludes that “...all have sinned and come short of the glory of God...”, and if we accept the above stated position on our natural state, then most of us will readily admit to the truth of the text.  Not one human being who has ever walked on two feet on this earth, has ever been able to come up to the perfect standard of Jesus Christ, who is in fact ‘...the glory of God...’.  Hallelujah!  It is so, amen.  (Hebrews 4:15)

However, it is the first part of our text that I want us to focus in on today - “...for there is no difference...”.  Wow!  What Godly insight!  Who knows the creature better than our Almighty Creator Lord God?  God declares here in His Word that, between all men/women who ever lived after the Fall, or who will ever live, “...there is no difference...”, we are ALL the same - sinful.

Oh yes, there are those of us who may be more adept at disguising our sins; at hiding our natural state; at deceiving others or, at times, even deceiving ourselves!  But the message is clear, in God’s mind and eye, “...there is no difference...”.  We are sinners.  Some of us are saved sinners and some, sad to say, are still yet lost sinners.  Yet, we are ALL sinners nonetheless.  We have God’s Word on the matter.

Now, here’s the good news.  When we are, by God’s free grace, given faith to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are saved from our sins, for time and Eternity.  Thanks be to God!  We thereafter TRY to the best of our limited abilities to live Godly lives.  We, at no stage, become sinless - but we certainly do begin to sin less!  Praise God for the power of His Spirit!  We confess our exceptional failings daily, and receive God’s promised cleansing from our daily sins.  This is the doctrine of Progressive Sanctification. What a Saviour! (1 John 1:7-10) (1 Peter 1:4-5)  (Acts 1:8)

We believers KNOW what each other are going through daily, because we know our own daily battles against sin, and “...there is no difference...”.  We are thus able to empathize completely with each other and support each other in daily prayers for victory over our sin.  (James 5:16-20)

When we begin to see ourselves and each other in the light of our text above, we begin to be able to cope better with our circumstances and our varied shortcomings daily.  We have more sympathy with a brother or sister who becomes ‘...overtaken in a fault...’; we thus approach that person with the intention of restoration, and ‘...in a spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.'  (Galatians 6:1)

In this manner, and in this spirit, we deem ourselves at all times to be merely ‘disgustingly normal’ believers in the pure and Supernatural Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Christ receives the glory, the flesh is denied; the Devil is thrown into confusion; the world wonders, is convicted of sin, and, in many ordained cases, saved.  Praise God for His grace to sinners like we!

Thought:  God gives grace to Christians who deem themselves to be ‘disgustingly normal’ sinners in need of it, daily.

God's View of Homosexuality! Romans 1:18-32

Text:  “Wherefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves...God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”                                                                                                                                         Romans 1:24-28.   
Good morning, discerning Christian!  Praise God, you are not of the above mentioned who have been left with ‘reprobate minds’.  You have been given clear judgement to discern right from wrong; good from evil; Christ like desires as opposed to the lusts inspired of the flesh and the Devil. 

The 'politically correct', nor the world-views, do not inform your faith, practice, or beliefs.  God's view, as fully expressed in God's Word - the KJV Bible - is the view that is paramount in your Christian mind.

God’s Word tells us that vile actions and practices such as homosexuality are clearly wrong and an abomination in the pure eyes of God.  God’s Word is quite enough for you and for me.  Amen?  So be it. (Habakkuk 1:13) (1 Corinthians 2:11-16)

Many so-called ‘Liberalists’ within the ranks of the professing Christian Church would dare to teach us that homosexuality is not sin; and would go further to advocate the acceptance of practising homosexuals into the ordained ministry!  This is utter apostasy, and reflects harshly upon the state of Christendom today.                              (2 Timothy 3:1-9)

Such pathetic people are clearly not as much ‘Liberalists’ as total Libertines!  Come ye out from among them, beloved Christian!  (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) (Romans 6:1-14)

To accept homosexual practice as an integral part of a believer’s lifestyle is to show that oneself is unsaved; reprobate; void of Spiritual discernment. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

The Holy Spirit’s first ministry to us towards Salvation is to quicken us with Spiritual discernment - that we who were once ignorant of our sinful state and the peril of our Eternal souls, might recognise sin for what is; Christ’s righteous standard for Heaven; and the judgement that shall surely come.  (John 16:8)

Therefore, if a person professing Christ as Saviour and Lord of his/her life sees no harm in the odious practice of male and female homosexuality, that person is revealing the fact that they themselves are yet in darkness, reprobate; UNSAVED!              (Isaiah 8:20) (Matthew 7:15-20)

Again, how can one repent (turn from sin to follow hard after Godliness in Christ Jesus) of one’s own vile life of sins, if one cannot even recognise sin in the lives of others?    Impossible! (Matthew 7:3-5)

Sin, for the true enlightened Christian, is not only clearly recognised as sin; but, with the advent of God the Holy Spirit into ones heart, sin becomes even more exceedingly sinful, while purity and Holiness become exceedingly desirable.  (Psalm 42:1-2)  Christ’s Light always reveals sin’s vileness.  (John 15:19-24)

However, the above Scripturally defined abhorrence of homosexual sin does not mean that homosexuals cannot be soundly saved! 

Furthermore, it does not prevent men who were once homosexuals from being ordained into a full Christian ministry!  Never!  There are no ‘little sins’, as opposed to ‘big sins’ - sin is sin in the pure eyes of an altogether Holy God of wrath against sin.  (James 2:10)

What saith the Word on this matter of men and women abusing themselves with members of the same sexual gender?  “And such were some of you (i.e. Christians!): but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”  Hallelujah!  What a Saviour!  Isn’t the Lord God really GRACIOUS?  (1 Corinthians 6:9-12)

Homosexuals can certainly take their place in a pulpit, or as Sunday-school teachers, elders, deacons, etc.  However, their once practised homosexuality must immediately cease - just as the redeemed murderer must murder no more, and the redeemed thief must cease to steal! 

We are in fact to become brand new creatures in Christ Jesus.  Like Christ!   We cannot practice darkness daily and expect to walk with God in the Light.                     (2 Corinthians 5:17)  (1 John 1:6-7)

Only reprobate, perverse, minds would have it otherwise.  God’s law condemns the odious practice of homosexual Sodomy.  This is merely God's view on homosexuality! On the full Authority of His Own written Word!  Obedience comes first!

Thought:     The closer one gets to God’s Light - the clearer one must recognise sin and flee from it!

Gospel Readiness? Romans 1:1-17

Text: “For 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 everyone that believeth (or trusteth)...”.                                                                                                                                                      Romans 1:15-16.

Good Morning, ready Christian!  The amazing grace of God has made you ready for Heaven, through the finished Cross work of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.  As a direct consequence, you are more than ready to preach the Gospel to other lost souls that they, through hearing the Word, might also find Salvation-peace in the Person of the Living Lord Jesus.  This is what I call ‘Christian readiness’.

“So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”  (Romans 10:17)

For this reason, the apostle Paul charged the young Timothy to preach the Word with such instant urgency.  The precious souls of men and women are in the Eternal balance and need to be won by the preaching of the Gospel.   (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

The humble dictionary defines the word ‘readiness’ as: the state of being ready; preparedness; willingness; promptness; aptitude.

Therefore, when Paul says that he is ready to preach the Gospel, he means he is inspired of God the Holy Spirit in all the above definitions of the term. Paul had Gospel readiness, and so must we.  Therefore, as Christ Himself teaches: ‘Be ye also ready...’.  (Matthew 24:44)

Being Ready:  Paul states his position in the opening verse of our selected Bible reading for today.  He testifies to all at Rome that he is indeed a servant of Jesus Christ; called to be an apostle; separated from the world unto the Gospel ministry.

Unless we are also ready in this sense, we cannot preach the Gospel to others in need.  Salvation is first personal, then public!  (Acts 4:12)

“Marvel not that I (the Lord Jesus) said unto you, ‘Ye MUST be born again!’”  (John 3:7)

Preparedness:  How can a Christian seek to be a teacher before first being him/herself taught God’s truths?  It is impossible! Paul was well taught from Holy Scripture before he ever dared to go forth to preach to others.  Paul was indeed prepared to teach the Gospel.

We too must, ‘Study to show ourselves approved unto God, work persons that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.’  As the motto of the Scout Movement declares: ‘Be Prepared!’.  Amen?  (2 Timothy 2:15)

Willingness:  It is possible today to meet many professing Christians who have indeed been make ready for Heaven; who study their Bibles faithfully every day - and yet remain barren of fruit for the Lord!  Why?  Because they lack Spiritual willingness to speak a word of testimony as to how they were saved; or to share what God is teaching them daily from His Word.  These people are nothing less than ‘spiritual misers’!

The Lord exhorts us to faithfully, “Cast thy bread (God’s Word) upon the waters (to the nations); for thou shalt find it after many days.”  Let’s be willing to share God’s truths with others.  (Acts 1:8)  (Ecclesiastes 11:1)  

Promptness:  Just as the proverbial early bird catches the worm, it’s the early witness that catches the souls!  Abraham manifested promptness to obey God’s guidance, and was Eternally blessed as a result.  When we receive Spiritual urges to speak a word for Jesus - we must be instant to faithfully obey.   Amen?  Yes, praise God, amen!   (Genesis 22:1-3)

Aptitude:  Not every Christian is called of the Lord to be a full-time Pastor.  However, every single believer is made fit to pastor unto the lost sheep yet unsaved, and unto saved brethren in need of encouragement. God grants every Christian the capacity, or aptitude, necessary to serve Christ Jesus.  This is part of what we call ‘The priesthood of all believers’.

As it is written: “Now therefore go, and I (the Lord God) will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.”  Amen.          (Exodus 4:12)

“But, ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8)

With these truly Heavenly thoughts in mind, let all we who profess to be born again believers in Christ Jesus, practice a sincere degree of God-given Gospel readiness - for the Day of the Lord is surely near.

Thought:  When Christians are ready to serve - the Christ is always more than ready to save.

Series on Romans Commences 7/1/18

Rejoicing In Romans

by

Dr C.K. McClinton

Ulster Christians 

A series of Bible-expositions from the book of Romans which, when studied and applied by the serious servant of Christ, should fortify, challenge, and renew believers for service to the King of kings – Jesus Christ.