0:01 Welcome once again to Words of Life. We are studying now through the book of Romans. Not verse by verse, but getting a general overview of the whole book. There is no book like Romans that 0:20 explains the gospel. Step by step, logically, one step at a time. From the lowest depths to the greatest heights. It first begins with describing man's 0:40 sin. Worldly sinners, religious sinners, all are guilty before God. There are no righteous, all have sinned. And the first thing God does is 0:57 reconcile us and justify us before him. Through the death and resurrection of Christ. He died for our sins, and he was raised again for our justification. Romans 4:25. 1:20 Romans 5 it says because we are justified, we have peace with God. And just like we got Adam's nature fully from him, we can get Jesus' nature fully from him. Now, we can stop at any point we like. 1:43 Romans 6 goes one step higher. Romans 7 is another class. Chapter 8 is a still higher class. All the way up to chapter 16. And just like you can go as far as you 2:00 want in earthly studies Some people finish fourth standard and say that's enough for me. Some say no, I've got to go up to 10th standard. And they finish 10th and they that's enough. Some people say no, I've got to finish 2:20 12th and PUC perhaps. And then some say no, I've got to get a degree at least. And then there are others who say one degree is not enough. I must get a post graduate. And then there are others who say no, I want to get a PhD. 2:40 And then there are people who do research beyond PhD. You choose how far you want to go. Your choice. So in the same way with the gospel God says you choose how far you want to go. Romans 6 3:04 It's about victory over sin. Very few people come this far. Christians stop at Romans 5. Oh well, I'm accepted by God. I'm at My sins are forgiven. 3:23 I'm accepted in Christ. I don't want anything more. Exactly like people who say I finished fourth standard. I don't need to I can read and write. We may most of you who listen, you would not have stopped at fourth standard. 3:45 And you say what crazy people those are who stop at fourth standard. That's not enough. Isn't it enough just read and write. Don't we want to get a job? The same thing in the Christian life. You have just to go to heaven. 4:03 Don't you need to be useful to God on earth? Don't you want to do a good job for God on earth before you Then you need to study more. Then you got to go on to Romans 6. Cuz in Romans 6 it says you can become a servant of God. 4:23 You can do service for God. Not just get his benefits as his children. How to be a servant of God. Romans 6:22 says, if you're free from sin in your life, you can become a servant of God. First step to becoming a servant of God 4:47 is to be free from sin. And in Romans 6 you read this wonderful verse. Romans 6:14, "Sin shall not be master over you, for you're not under law, but under grace." And here is something that we can 5:12 uh understand very simply. Law to be under law means we do something for God. To be under grace means God does something for us. If you try to do something for God, 5:34 you'll always be defeated by sin. If you allow God to do something for you, you'll overcome sin. We are such proud creatures. We always We want to do something for 5:52 God. That sounds very spiritual. But we have to first let God do something for us. That is grace. See, in the Old Testament man was trying to do so many things, keep the commandments, this, that, and the other. But grace is different. 6:16 Grace is God's hand coming down and doing something for me. In the Old Testament, the law was written on tablets of stone, and people tried to keep it. They tried for 1,500 years. Not one person 6:35 could keep it. And God said, "Have you learned a lesson?" Man hasn't learned a lesson. They still want to try. It's like if the disciples were tried to catch fish all night, and they gave up. They finally let the Lord do something 6:59 for them. And the same here. And I come to the end of myself. do something for me. I will write my laws in your heart. That is the new covenant of grace. 7:18 Not where I try to keep God's law, but God writes his law inside me. We can sum up the law and grace in these two phrases. When you have time to compare Exodus 20 with Hebrews 8. Exodus 20 is 10 Commandments. 7:45 Thou shalt thou shalt not thou shalt thou shalt not thou shalt thou shalt not. Hebrews 8 is the new covenant. And you read that in verses 10 to 12. There's no thou shalt thou shalt not. God says, I will I will I will I will I 8:05 will. If you understand the difference between these two, you understood the difference between law and grace. Waiting before God and saying, "God, write your laws in my heart and mind." I can't do it, Lord. I tried long enough 8:24 to obey you. I can't do it. I have tried for years to overcome anger. I can't do it. I have tried for years to overcome lust. Can't do it. Do it in me, Lord. He'll do it. He'll give us the nature of 8:43 Christ. And I never want to look at anything that Jesus wouldn't look at. And I never I will never say anything that Jesus wouldn't say. And I will never do anything that Jesus wouldn't do. And that I will do things that Jesus 9:00 would do. And I will say things that Jesus would say. And I will think things that Jesus would think about. And I will dream about the things that Jesus would dream about. What a life. How many Christians do you think 9:20 experience it? My guess is less than 1%. That's why Jesus said, "The way to life is so narrow. Very few people because they've heard this man-centered gospel from all the 9:40 I want to tell you something. Because they've heard this man-centered gospel from all the preachers. That's why we need to go back to the Bible. Otherwise, if your teacher is only first standard pass, that's all you learn in 9:55 your life. If you go to the Bible, you can get a PhD. So, I want to encourage you to do that. I would In Romans chapter 7, the next Where I hear about victory over sin, but still not free from a legalistic 10:18 attitude. I have seen multitudes of people around the world who want to live a holy life, and they are legalists. They try to keep God's commandments in the spirit of the law. They are finished 10:37 with the old covenant, but they're trying to keep the new covenant now in the spirit of the law. You find in Romans chapter 7, 10:49 the words I, me, mine comes 45 times. 45 times in just these few I, I, I. 11:13 Me, me, me, mine, mine, mine, mine. When you come to chapter 8, it's spirit, spirit, the spirit. Me is replaced by the Holy Spirit. You would think there's no place for 11:29 Romans 7 after Romans 6. Now, now we are going to go straight to the life in the spirit. I have found in my own life and in everybody's life Romans 7 comes there. First of all, 11:48 they're trying to do things in a legalistic spirit. That's why we find lots of believers who live holy lives are big judges of other people. Jesus was the holiest person. He judged nobody. Sinners don't judge anybody because they 12:08 themselves are in such a wretched condition. Who are the people who judge others? Those who are pursuing holiness. Somebody, say for example, let me take an example. Some sister removes her ornaments. She sees it in the word of God. 12:27 What does she do? She's always looking around at the other sisters who are wearing ornaments. I would say to such a sister, "Sister, please put back your ornaments and stop judging other people." She's doing something thousand times 12:44 worse than removing than wearing ornaments. judging other people. That's the idea. This is just a small example. But, there are so many examples like that. Somebody follows New Testament patterns somewhere and judges all other churches 12:59 who are not following New Testament patterns. Somebody says, "I won't call myself pastor. I'm a brother." And then you go around judging all people who call themselves pastors. That is bad. You see, this is how the devil destroys 13:19 people. They pursue obedience, but then they become legalists. The The wants to make sure you never get genuine holiness in your life. So, there is a place for Romans 7. After Romans 6, Romans 8, 13:38 where we hear about victory. And then we don't do it the right way. Instead of getting married to Christ, we get married to the law. Here's a little illustration which helps us to understand. First, we are married to the old man. 14:02 Oh, that was our unconverted days. What a terrible husband he was. Treated me so badly. Made life miserable for me. My I was hoping, hoping, hoping this old man will die. But he doesn't die. 14:24 And then one day God killed him. I said, "Praise God." Finished. The old man has been crucified. That's what we read in Romans 6. Now, that person My first husband is dead. 14:41 Then I can marry another husband now. And I look around and I see this upright man. I said, "That's what I want." I always wanted an upright man. Not this crooked man like my old husband. 15:00 And I marry this upright man. And I discover that that is not Christ. That is the law. I am married to the law. He's very demanding. He is so demanding. He never asks me to do anything wrong 15:20 like the old man. Everything he asked me to do is correct. He never lifts one finger to help me. If he says breakfast must be on the table at 8:00, it must be not 8:01, it must be there at 15:40 8:00. That is the law. But he won't help me to put the breakfast on the table. I say, "What is this? I got out of one wretched marriage into another wretched marriage." One thing he doesn't ask me to do 16:01 anything wrong, but my life is running around headache morning till night. Then I think, "Will this husband also die?" God's word says the law will never die. The law is eternal. 16:22 His blood pressure is normal. He has no diabetes, nothing. He's going to live forever. I say, "I'm finished." What am I going to do? He's going to live forever. God says, "Don't worry. I've got another way. 16:40 I'll kill you." Kill the wife. That is another way of breaking the marriage. The husband doesn't die. But the wife dies, but marriage is broken. So God crucifies me with Christ. I'm finished. Now I can say goodbye to the law. I've 17:00 died. Law, I'm not your wife anymore. That's what he says in Romans 7:4, "You are dead to the law." What next, Lord? I don't know. I'm I don't want to die. I want to be married. 17:19 Yeah, yeah, I've got the glory. I've got that also in mind. breaking up this marriage to the law. Because in if a wife dies, end of the marriage. And the law agrees, okay, marriage is 17:37 over. Then God says, Okay, now I'm going to raise you up from the dead. I come back alive. But now I'm not married to the law. That thing's finished. Now God says you can marry Christ. That's the one you really wanted to 17:55 marry. Now how demanding is Christ? He also says breakfast on the table at 8:00. Now I'm such a lazy person, my breakfast is ready only by 2:00 in the afternoon. That's right, right under the law, but 18:17 maximum it would become 1:45 or something, not better than that. Defeated, defeated, defeated. But Jesus is different from the law. He doesn't say just breakfast at 8:00. He says, "Let's do it together." 18:41 You and I will make breakfast together. It changes my spirit completely. I say, "Lord, this is wonderful." And so, as the Lord helps me, now next day breakfast is at 1:00 in the afternoon. I'm getting better. Then I work with Jesus some more, and 19:04 one day I'm breakfast is at 12:00 noon. Excellent. In 3 years, I've come to 11:00. I can make breakfast. This is so good compared to the old days. 9:00 19:27 I've come so close to the goal. This is what the Bible calls pressing on to perfection. You understand the illustration? I'm overcoming sin. I'm becoming more and more perfect like Jesus. I have a good attitude to people. 19:50 I'm free from the law. So, this is a picture here. I get to me to die to the law Romans 7:4. I'm But even though sin cannot rule over me anymore. Sin still dwells in my flesh. 20:16 Christ will not go but the body is a corrupt body. So, we can say it's like a criminal who's there but he can't control anymore. It's like a man who was dictator of a country till now. But now he's locked up in jail. 20:38 He's there but he can't rule the country anymore. Sin dwells in my flesh but it's not ruling anymore. Because sin is in my flesh. Sin is in my flesh and I know that. Unconsciously sometimes I do something wrong. That's what Rome the latter Romans 7:14 20:57 to 25 is talking about. That sometimes without my knowledge I'm doing what's wrong. But I do it. Romans 7:15. I hate it, but I do it. Afterwards I realize oh I shouldn't have 21:15 done that. And I say oh God, when will I be free from this wretched body? Verse 24. Thanks be to God Jesus Christ will deliver me one day. Until then 21:33 with my mind I keep on serving God. But in my flesh there is this other law which is going to do us a lot of sinful things. That doesn't condemn me. Romans 8:1. Because I'm not doing it consciously. I'm in Christ. 21:55 Then in Romans 8 he speaks about how the law of the spirit of life sets me free from the law of sin and death. See, the Old Testament law brought me into bondage. The Old Testament law brought me into bondage. The Old Testament law brought me into 22:11 Now there's a new law. The law of the spirit. That's not commandments. It's described as life in Christ Jesus. Gravity pulls this book down. That's the law of But there's another law of life in my 22:30 body. That's lifting up this book. Setting this book free from the law of gravity. It says the law of the spirit of life in Christ sets me free from the law of sin and death. Lets me higher and higher closer to God. 22:55 The law could not do this. Verse 3 of chapter 8. But now God has done it. If verse 4 I listen to the Holy Spirit. If I walk according to the Spirit. Walk means Holy Spirit says, "Put your 23:12 left foot forward." Now, put your right leg forward. Now, your left leg forward. The Spirit leads us. Don't do this. Don't do that. Go this way. If I keep listening, God's law is fulfilled in my heart. 23:35 And then it says in Romans 8:6, the test of how to know what is the mind of the Spirit. How do I know which is the Spirit and which is the flesh? Well, that's a big confusion for some people. He says, "If it's the Spirit, you'll 23:51 have peace in your heart." You'll be very uneasy. So, it's such a wonderful gospel. And we are led by the Spirit of God, we call God Father. What shall we say? He says, "If God be for us, 24:10 who can be against us?" Romans 8:31. "Who will bring a charge against me?" Verse 33. "God justifies me, who can bring a charge against me?" "Who's going to condemn me?" "Jesus is praying for me, who can 24:29 condemn me?" "Who shall separate me from the love of Christ?" Verse 35. "I am more than a conqueror." Verse 37. "I will never be separated from the love of God." Verse 39. The height of the gospel. 24:52 Then from then on, it speaks about how this comes out in practical life in the remaining chapters. Let's enjoy it. God bless you. Welcome once again to Words of Life. 25:15 We will look today at Romans chapter 9. In Romans we saw how step by step the Holy Spirit reveals the gospel. The glory of the gospel. 25:33 The glory of the children of God. And that's an expression that is found in Romans 8:21. Not only the glory of God. We had come short of the glory of God in Romans 3 23. But now we will enter Romans 8:21 into 25:55 the glory of the children of God. And then the spirit of triumph that we see in Romans 8:31 to 39. Who can be against us? If God is for us. Who can accuse us? 26:15 Who can condemn us? Who can separate us? What a wonderful life that is. Then in Romans 9, 10, and 11 God he he uses the example of God's dealings with Israel to teach us about three things. 26:37 God's sovereignty in Romans 9 God's righteousness in Romans 10 God's faithfulness in Romans 11. These are things that we need to understand. It takes the Old Testament example, but 26:56 it applies to us. He says, "You know that God sovereignly chose Israel." Through Abraham. He just chose Abraham. To serve him. 27:13 And he has chosen us. And we can't question him saying, "Why have you made me like this? Or why have you not made me like that?" He says in Romans 8:20, "Who are you to question God and ask him, 'Why did you make me like this?'" 27:34 There are a lot of questions that man says, "Why does God do this? Why does God make people like this? Why does God make people like that?" How do you have people ask questions like that? Why does God do that? Why has God done 27:50 that? Why did God do this? So, when somebody comes to you and asks you that question, I say, "Well, I can only refer you to what the Bible says." "Who are you?" 28:08 Romans 9:20 to question God like that. God is a potter. He makes a vessel for honorable use, one for common use. Who are you to question him? This is the answer to those who 28:31 arrogantly question God. It's not for humble people who have no problems. It's for those who have a arrogant questioning attitude. The answer is this. God is the potter. 28:50 God is the potter's house. He makes one big vessel, one small vessel. He makes a very beautiful vessel which is for decoration in some sitting room. He makes another one which is just a 29:07 little dirty pot kept in the toilet. So, why is that that pot say why has he made me like this? The potter has got every right to make anything he likes. So, this questioning attitude shows an 29:27 arrogance and pride in us. Even a pharaoh who dared to defy God, God says, "Okay, I'll use you to manifest my glory." You know, in Egypt there were two people 29:45 whom God used to manifest his power. One was Moses, one was Pharaoh. But in two completely different ways. Moses in a good way. You know, how God's power manifested splitting the Red Sea, doing the 30:04 plagues. Bringing the plagues into Egypt. And then Pharaoh in a bad way. God says, "Pharaoh, you're going to defy me? Pharaoh, you're going to defy me? Okay. I'll make the whole world know you as a vessel through whom I displayed my 30:23 power. Whatever he tried to do, God crushed him. He tried to do something else, he got crushed. He tried to do something else, he got crushed. The whole world today knows about this Pharaoh. Now, you can be either like Moses or 30:40 like Pharaoh. You can let God use you like Moses if you humble yourself and submit to him. Or you can be like Pharaoh, defy him, he will still God will still manifest his glory through you in some other way. By showing your foolishness. 31:04 So therefore we believe in the sovereignty of God. God is sovereign and therefore we do not have any fear. God is in control of Pharaohs 31:22 and in control of all circumstances. You're afraid of your boss, you're afraid of some policeman, you're afraid of somebody who can harm you. Pharaoh was the most powerful person in the world in his time. He ran all the whole world at that time. 31:44 The most powerful was Pharaoh. See today, uh I mean there may be countries like the United States but a lot of people are fighting with them. But in Pharaoh's time nobody dared even fighting with Egypt. It was such a huge superpower that the 32:05 others were like little ants, the other countries. And God said, "Okay, I'll show my sovereignty through this man." So God will all time that you don't have to be afraid of anyone. Just make sure God is on your side. 32:29 All you got to do is keep a clear conscience. And humble yourself. That's all. I'm not saying 25 things. Two things. Keep a good conscience. Always go down and humble yourself. 32:47 God will always be with you. No Pharaoh will be able to do anything to you. Romans chapter 10 deals with God's righteousness. He says there are a lot of people who pursued after righteousness and never got it. They became Pharisees. Romans 10:3. 33:07 They tried and tried to be righteous and they didn't become righteous. The Gentiles who did not seek righteousness they got it. Because they just subjected themselves to the righteousness of God. And that comes through faith. 33:26 You believe in your heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead. And you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is my Lord. There, you are righteous before God. And whoever trusts in the Lord, verse 33:45 11, will not be disappointed. Take that promise and keep it with you always. Whoever trusts in him will never be disappointed. Romans 10:11. Whoever trusts in him will never be 34:04 disappointed. And if you face difficult situations, verse 13, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be delivered. Whatever situation you may be in, 34:21 say, "Lord Jesus, deliver me." He'll deliver you. Then in Romans 11, we read about God's faithfulness. Even though Israelites failed God so badly. God kept a witness there. 34:43 Elijah says, "Lord, verse three, they killed the prophets, they have torn down the altars, but he was there still alone standing for God." And Elijah said, God told Elijah, "I've also kept 7,000 people." So he says in the same time now. 35:03 There is a remnant. God has chosen. God's faithfulness keeps a testimony for him at all times on the earth. That's an example of that. When you look at the history of 35:22 Christianity. God has raised up wonderful men. Think of a man like Martin Luther. A man who stood against the entire corrupt Catholic church. But the church he started itself became 35:41 corrupt after some years. The Lutheran church today, if Martin Luther came to came to this world, he won't join his own church. Because it's not following what Martin Luther stood for. They don't have that faith in the 36:00 fullness of the spirit that And then So what did God do? He didn't give up. God raised up somebody else. God raised up a John Wesley. In different countries there are many names I could mention. The point is 36:19 in every generation God has had a witness for him. Like Elijah. He's always been faithful to keep a He's always been faithful to keep a light burning for him. And the work that one man starts 36:42 declines. It doesn't disturb God. He raises up another man. He starts another work. And in 50-70 years that person becomes corrupt. God raises up another man. Throughout history it's been like that. 37:01 There is always a remnant. And all these 2,000 years we've seen that. So he says, "Don't be proud that you are the people whom God has chosen at this time." See, he was talking to the Gentiles in those days. And the natural people who 37:19 are Gentiles and God has rejected the Jews and he's chosen us the Gentiles. Oh, you know they've been telling me that the Gentiles and the Jews and the Gentiles and the Jews and the He says, "No, don't be arrogant towards them, 37:28 verse 18." Oh, you may say, "No, no, no, they were cut off and I'm grafted in now." He said, "That's right." But don't be proud, verse 20, but fear. Because if God did not spare that group, 37:46 he will not spare your group also. See, God is not going to spare a group just because he's started it once upon a time. I know churches that God started. God is not with them now. 38:06 Who started the church in Ephesus? Paul started it. Paul started it. It was definitely started by God. It was the finest church. You read Ephesians and you can understand. See, that type of letter you can only write to a spiritual church. 38:26 But look at that same church 30 years later in Revelation chapter 2. Well, it was ready to be cut off. And God would raise from that a few others would come out and start a new church. So, God's faithfulness to always keep a 38:45 witness for His name. God's faithfulness to us to be true to His word. It says finally in Romans 11:36. God has designed that everything should 39:03 be from Him, through Him, and to Him. That is a spiritual man. Who everything he does, he waits upon God and receives from Him. It doesn't come from his own self. He doesn't get bright ideas in his own 39:22 head what to do. He waits on the Lord and does what the Father tells him. What he does What he does, he does through God's power. And then, he does it to God's glory. 39:42 From Him, through Him, and to Him. That is a spiritual life in a spiritual world. And then in Romans 12, onwards, he speaks about our In the whole chapter, he speaks about our duty to God and duty to other people. If you have experienced this type of 40:05 wonderful gospel, what should you What should you do? What should you do? Just raise your hand. Sign a decision card. Ask the Lord Jesus coming to my heart. No, more than that. He says in view of all these wonderful things God has done for you. 40:22 You know what you should do. Give your body completely to God as a sacrifice. You say yes, Lord. Take my body. No, just hang on. Don't See the Old Testament burnt offering had to be cut piece by piece and put on the 40:41 You couldn't put the full bullock on the altar. Cut the leg, cut different parts and put it on the altar. How do you give your body to God? It's piece by piece. 41:00 Then you'll understand what it means. Lord, I give you my eyes first of all. I never again want to use my eyes for myself. Lord, I give you my tongue. I never again want to speak what I want to speak. I want you to only what you 41:18 want me to speak. I give you my ears. I know in the past I've loved to listen to all types of gossip. Now it's yours. I only want to hear what you want me to hear. My hands, Lord. 41:38 I cut my hands now. Lay that on the altar. I never want to do anything with these hands that doesn't please you. My legs. I never want my legs to take me to a single place in the world where you don't want me to go. And I have passions in my body, Lord. 42:02 And I don't want those passions to go out of control. They must serve you. I have a desire for food, Lord. I don't want to worship that. I wanted to glorify you. Everything. Piece by piece by piece by piece. 42:21 And it says in verse one, that is how you worship God. You know what worship means? Worship is not singing songs on Sunday. Worship to give everything to God. He says next verse. Don't be like the rest of the world. 42:40 Don't let the world make you like it. Let your mind think along God's lines. Let me read this word. Think like Christ. Then you will be able to find God's perfect There's so many wonderful exhortations in Romans 12. We could spend many many hours just in 43:01 that one chapter. He says about exercising gifts to build the body of Christ. Never paying back evil for evil, verse 17 to others. And loving others, etc. 43:19 And in chapter 13, he talks about how what our duty is to secular authorities. Christian is a good citizen of a country. God has appointed people in authority in every country. Like parents in the home, 43:42 elders in the church, rulers in a country, police authorities, presidents, prime ministers, governors. What should we do to them? As a Christian, be subject to them. Follow the rules they give. 44:01 Because God has appointed them order in this world. He says if you resist the authority, So he says if you resist the authority which is due to you, you're actually resisting If you do what is good, you don't have to be afraid of them. 44:21 So he says pay your taxes. Give honor to those whom honor is due. Honor him. He is the ruler honor to those whom honor is due. 44:39 to the boss in your office. Give honor to your parents. The elders in the church. And also to secular authorities. Don't be in debt to anybody. That's a very important commandment. 44:59 Don't owe anybody anything. If you're in debt, you must try to be free from it as soon as possible. Romans 14 says how to accept people who are weaker than us in the faith. Who have different opinions from us. Don't despise believers who got 45:20 different opinions. Maybe he doesn't have as much light as you have. It's like supposing you have a younger brother who's lame. What do you do? 45:39 Despise him? Help him? Carry him? Exactly the same in the church. Supposing you have a brother who's blind. What do you do? Ignore him? No. If you're a Christian, you'll help him. If you find a Christian who in the 45:57 church who's weaker than you, spiritually blind who doesn't see things clearly as you can see it, And this other person who's my fellow 47:57 worker. And this other person who was a prisoner with me in the jail. And this other person who risked their necks for me. He expresses thankfulness for each of them. 48:16 Finally, here's where the gospel, wonderful message of the gospel ends. Romans 16:20 The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet. That's where it's all going to end finally. 48:35 Satan will be completely under our feet like a ant crushed under your shoes. Are you going to be afraid of that little ant crawling on the ground? No, don't be afraid of the devil. He's 48:52 been defeated on the cross. God has allowed him to have power. He cannot touch you. Resist him in Jesus' name. Resist the devil. He will flee from you. 49:10 Very soon it says he'll be crushed under your feet. The God of peace will do that. So he says in verse 27. To this wonderful God who's given us such a wonderful gospel through Jesus Christ who gave his life 49:29 let all the glory be to him. See, that's how the gospel must end. The last verse of Romans that everything even the crushing of Satan under our feet is not for our personal glory for ourselves. God can be glorified. 49:49 So offer yourself to God. Make me an instrument, Lord. that your name can be glorified. God bless you.
