Faith - June 23, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

George grew up in church. His parents always made him attend even though it was sometimes boring. One night, during a weeklong revival service, George went forward and was baptized at the age of ten. He then spent the next 12 years of his life involved with church activities and functions. He became involved with the Youth Group, and was the president of the class for two years. George graduated from High School and even attended a Christian College.

Sam, on the other hand, was never involved in a church. During his teenage years he battled addictions, getting his first taste of alcohol long before he should have. After high school, Sam found a simple job, but spent most of his weekends in a bar. The sad part was that Sam was empty inside and knew it, yet had no idea how to quench the thirst deep within his heart. He often thought that there must be more to life than this.

George and Sam were as different as night and day, at least from the outside it appeared that way. At twenty two, the one was teaching Sunday School while the other spent evenings in a bar. While one was drinking communion juice the other was drinking beer. While the one spent the weekend at an all-night bowling party with friends, the other spent all night chasing women. The one spent Sunday mornings in church. The other spent Sunday mornings in bed with a hangover. Well, one day George and Sam had a chance to meet, and after that encounter, one of them would never be the same. Which of these two men did God love more; the one who did religious things, or the one who did worldly things?

I ask you this question and have told you this story (which is true, by the way) because of what Paul is about to claim to the Roman Christians. He is about to make a claim that will shock the entire Jewish community. And it is still a controversial claim today. Even today there are people who say Paul was wrong. Every now and then someone will come along and say Salvation is not by Grace through Faith, but also by works. But before we make up our minds, lets read what Paul says in Romans 4 (read entire chapter).

Don’t miss the significance in this section. Abraham was justified (declared righteous) by God not because of his many religious practices (good deeds), but because he believed what God said. And what had God told him? God told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, something outside of human possibility. He and Sarah were far too old to have children. Physically it was impossible, and Abraham knew this. Yet he believed that not only could God make it happen, but that He would. And looking deep into Abraham’s heart, God was pleased with the faith He found there. So He justified Abraham; He declared him righteous.

Abraham lived 600 years before God would hand down the Ten Commandments, so he never had them to follow. Yet God declared Abraham to be righteous. And actually, if you think about it, Abraham was declared righteous while he was still a Gentile. You see Abraham was circumcised 14 years after God declared him righteous. So Abraham’s faith made him righteous in God’s sight, and circumcision was nothing more than a symbol or a sign of the covenant God made with Abraham – to make him the father of many nations.

What Paul is saying here is that if a person truly has faith in God, the Law (or the Commandments of God), God declares them righteous. And then the righteous person obeys the Laws in response to that faith. But the Jew felt that living according to the Law is what brought righteousness. Faith never even entered into the picture. So Paul’s argument is spot on. How could Abraham, who never had the Law, live according to that Law? It was impossible! Yet the scriptures say that God counted Abraham as a righteous. And it was because of his faith. God made a promise and Abraham believed.

For you and me the lesson is obvious. Participation in religious activities or religious rituals does not make us right with God. God looks past what we do and instead looks deep into our hearts. He is looking for men and women who believe what He has promised. And what has God promised us? He has promised us eternal life by believing in Jesus. For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:16-17). So when we believe this, we say “Amen”. And God, who sees that we have faith enough to believe this promise, even though it seems too good to be true, counts us among the righteous. He justifies us; He declares us innocent.

Our efforts to become Justified surround what we believe, not what we do, which is a lesson George learned in his encounter with Sam. George had made the mistake many Christians make. He associated religious practices with righteousness. However, although a Christian might honor God and strengthen their faith through religious practices (prayer, reading the Bible, tithing, etc.), they are not justified because of them. And George learned this when he met Sam.

Shortly before George and Sam met, Sam was introduced to Jesus. And Sam believed. Sam was justified by God because of his faith, not because he lived a life filled with Good Deeds. So one night at a Bible Study, George was deeply impressed with Sam’s enthusiastic love for God; his deep devotion and passion to live according to God’s commands. When Sam shared his past, George was dumbfounded. How could a man who had such a wicked past be so on fire for Jesus? That’s when George realized that “Christian” did not mean keeping a long list of commandments or participating in religious activities. To be a Christian is to be reborn when a person is ready to admit they are a sinner in need of a Savior; to believe in the promise of God found in Jesus the Son.

Who did God love more? Neither George or Sam. He loved them both the same. Both Sam and George needed to learn that to be a Christian is not to fill their life with Good Deeds, but to have faith in the promise of God. Which is really Good News. George did not need to fear that his bad deeds might outweigh his good deeds one day. And Sam didn’t need to work to undo all his bad deeds from his past. Both Sam and George need only have faith, believing in the promise of God. Actually, people should not be asking God, “What do you want me to do to be saved”, but instead, “What should I believe in order to be saved”. God is looking for faith within our hearts that admits we are sinners in need of a Savior, and who say “Amen” to God’s promise found in Christ the Lord.

And now to answer your questions.

1. I am a little confused by verse 12. If I understand this correctly it is saying that even those on the “outs” with God but embrace what he has done for them are set right for God & by God. Is this a correct interpretation & will you explain what all this means in terms of salvation?

Verse 12 speaks of those who were Jewish by birth (physical descendants of Abraham), yet who did not trust that their religious practices made them right with God. If they had the same type of faith that Abraham demonstrated, he would have been their spiritual father as well. It is the same for you and me today. For the person who grew up in church, they need to realize that participating in religious activities does not make them right with God. And for the person who did not grow up in church, they need to realize that their absence of religious activities does not keep them separated from God. Salvation comes by faith; for the life-long church attender as well as the person who has never attended church. I might have grown up in church, but this did not mean I was right with God. My friend did not grow up in church. That did not mean he was forever separated from God. Salvation comes by faith in the promises of God. And as New Testament Christians, our faith rests in the promise God made that if we believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that He paid the penalty for our sins, we will be granted eternal life.

Why We Are All So Different

Last month Christianity Today ran an interesting article about the different ways an introvert and extrovert process information. They included the following pictures, which explain why we are all so different. Don’t. worry about the medical terms here. Simply read the descriptions.

The whole point to this story is to remind us that we act different because we are different. We have all been created as different individuals, not just with different gifts, but with different ways of processing information and different ways of looking at the world.

Extroverts are not loud and obnoxious and introverts timid and shy. That describes a person’s temperament. What this study is trying to demonstrate is that we all have different ways of reacting to this world. And one way is not “right” and the other “wrong”. It is simply the way we have been fearfully and wonderfully made. 

According to this study, introverts are easily stimulated and extroverts are not. That’s why an extrovert thrives in an environment that would drive an introvert bonkers. But see an introvert is able to work in an environment that would put an extrovert to sleep. And that’s the beauty in all of this. It’s almost as if God was at work creating us to be different for a specific reason.

Paul seems to speak about our unique personalities and temperaments in 1 Corinthians 12:18 when he says, “God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body just as He has desired”. The point here is that God gifts each believer for the work of the Kingdom, but how that work is manifested is unique in each individual. Someone might have the gift of teaching, but based upon their personality they would be more comfortable teaching a small group rather than lecturing before a large class. It is the same with those serving in leadership. Some individuals are quite stimulated by the discussion that takes place around a table while others seem distant and withdrawn from the conversation. The extroverts keep the meeting moving forward. The introvert is listening and processing the discussion, looking for the best possible solution – which they may not discover until the next day. Neither individual is greater, they both are simply serving according to their giftedness.

It is important for us to keep in mind that the introvert/extrovert descriptions in this article are brackets. Introvert and extrovert are extremes along a continuum. Everyone falls somewhere in between these two bookends. Many introverts are excellent public speakers, and many extroverts need time alone to recharge. So please keep in mind that there is no right or wrong personality. Introverts do not need to “come out of their shell”, and extroverts don’t need to “chill out”. Each person needs to understand how God created them and serve Him with their own unique personality.

Did you discover something about yourself in this research? I know I did. It really helped me understand who I am and why I react to things the way I do. And you and me, we are not broken people who need fixing. Oh, we might be trying to be someone we are not, but we are not broken. We have been created by God for a purpose and a reason.

Pastor Greg

Is There a Man in the House? - June 16, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Does anyone else remember the great radio comedy Fibber McGee and Molly?  Watch  a clip from one of their movies called Look Who’s Laughing.

A man need only be 72 years old to be born before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, copy machines, contact lenses, Frisbees and the pill; before radar, credit cards, laser beams, ball-point pens or bank machines. When this man was born no one had invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers (clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air), and man hadn't yet walked on the moon, that's for sure. If his family even had a telephone, all calls came over the 'party line'. There was no FM radio, no tape decks or even 8-track players. No CDs, videos, electric typewriters, DVDs, yogurt, Personal Computers or guys wearing earrings (unless it was a pirate in a storybook). He listened to the Big Bands on the 'Victrola' (record player) and Jack Benny on the 'wireless' (radios).
He would have married before living together. Almost every family had a father and a mother. He would have called every person older than him 'Sir' or 'Ma'am'. There was no computer-dating, dual careers, daycare centers, gay-rights, and group therapy. And he actually believed that a lady needed a husband to have a baby. His life was governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common sense. In church, in school, and at home, he was taught the difference between right and wrong, and to stand up and take responsibility for his actions.

There are many of us who long for the days when life was a bit simpler, especially when the world was a bit safer. People knew right from wrong back then. And for those of us old enough to remember party lines, we lament the lack of trust and security in today’s world. My word, in some schools the students must pass through a security gate before entering. We send drug sniffing dogs through our schools and randomly search our children’s back packs. Children come to school and kill their classmates. How did we end up here in a short 72 years?

Billions of dollars are spent and countless laws are passed designed to enforce morality. Tell me, is it really making a difference? Not really. And that’s because no nation or government has ever been successful when legislating morality. Morality is something that needs to be birthed in the heart of a person. Morality is not a list of rules to be followed. Not even Israel, with all the laws handed down by God, was successful in obeying those laws. Morality came when it was written within their hearts. But apparently Israel forgot its responsibility, and the morality of the nation declined. The Jewish people in the Old Testament, the nation that God rescued out of slavery, fell into moral decay and into slavery again. And it apparently happened because those who were supposed to teach God’s Laws had failed.

Our own nation began so well. There were lofty goal and ideals. But sadly morality is hard to find today. And I suspect it is because no one is teaching God’s Laws of right and wrong anymore. Oh, we are doing a great job at passing laws, but apparently a very poor job at teaching them. We pass a law that says it is wrong to steal but don’t teach why stealing is wrong. We are trying to change a behavior instead of changing a heart. But unless the heart is changed, there will be no true obedience to the law.

What all of this means is that if we want to change our nation we must first begin by changing the heart of the people. But that will not happen until someone begins to take their responsibility seriously; until someone understands that God has assigned the task of Spiritual Leader to a particular group of people in our society. That responsibility, according to God, belongs to fathers. It is the father’s responsibility to be the Spiritual Leader in their homes. But sadly it is a responsibility many father do not take seriously.

God has command that the father be the Spiritual Leader in the home. He speaks this quite clearly. Fathers are to, “not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). In Deuteronomy 6:6-7 He says,” And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up”. If we father’s do this; if we “Direct your children onto the right path, [then] when they are older, they will not leave it” (Proverbs 22:6).

A lot of Christian father’s do a fine job supporting their children in their activities. They do a good job providing for their children’s basic needs. But see, that’s where most father’s stop. Because when it comes to spiritual things, most fathers are seldom involved. They’re more worried about soccer practice than with church activities. By our own example we tell our children that a Sunday of play is far more important than a Sunday in worship. And what’s ironic is that we lament the condition of our society yet never lift a finger to fix the problem!

I’ll tell you what. If we fathers start being the man of the house that God has demanded, we can rebuild a society where people know right from wrong. No amount of money or legislation or rules will ever replace the responsibility we fathers have in our own homes. And that is to take an active role in introducing our children to the Kingdom of God; to live as a godly example to our families. I know we lament the condition of our society, but it’s our own fault. We fathers have been just too preoccupied with our own selfish interest, and have delegated our child’s Spiritual instruction to our wives or to a Sunday School teacher while we’re off chasing a Titleist with a 7 iron. And then we wonder why there is no fear of God in our nation?

In 72 years we have fallen far as a godly nation. Laws and legislation will not get it back. Neither will prayer, unless we begin praying with repentance. We can be a godly nation filled with godly states whose cities are filled with godly neighborhoods when we fathers first build a godly home. So, if you really want this nation to become a better place to live, then start teaching what God has commanded. And start living what you confess to believe.

Justified - June 9, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

As we have been studying Paul’s letter to the Christian’s in Rome, up to this point he has spoken about sin. He has said that everyone is without excuse, both the Jew and the Gentile. But Paul doesn’t leave us at sin. He doesn’t stand off by himself merely identifying who is a sinner and who is not (something Christians have a tendency to do. Isn’t it true that Christians seem awfully quick to point out the sin in others but refuse to see the sin in themselves). In Romans, Paul is taking his readers on a journey that leads them to hope; to grace; to righteousness. Our reading assignment was Romans 3:21-31. Let’s turn there and see the next step in this journey.

We all have sinned, says Paul. We cannot come to God by making excuses. But we can come to God through Jesus. Even though there is not one single person who is righteous, God provided a way for us to be declared righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty of our sins. This is what it means to be justified. And I’m not talking about the kind of “justified” we see portrayed in television shows where a person is justified to punish or do harm. When God speaks of being justified He means that a person is declared righteous. God makes a pronouncement against humanity saying that “All have sinned”. But then He turns around and says, “But I declare you righteous”. And God can do this simply because of what Jesus accomplished upon the cross. God now views us not as we are but as we will be in Christ.

What this means is that neither birth, culture, nor education; neither our environment nor the degree of our sin can keep us from being justified (declared righteous) because that declaration comes from God, not by merit. This was a whole new way of thinking for the Jews. Under the Old Testament Law, righteousness came by a person behaving. But under the Gospel, righteousness comes by believing.

This is a beautiful message of hope to the person who is willing to stand before God without making an excuse for their sin. The person who makes excuses for their sin or denies their sin is, in reality, refusing to be convicted. But, the person who is convicted is the person who makes no excuse, and stands before God ready to receive His punishment. But instead of receiving what they justifiably deserve, the convicted person receives grace. Who knew? Who would have guessed that God would step in and do for us what we could not do for ourselves? And yet by doing this, this process of justification demonstrates the righteousness of God.

Theologian Warren Wiersbe has said, “A God of love wants to forgive sinners, but a God of holiness must punish sin and uphold His righteous Law. How can God be both “just and justifier”? The answer is in Jesus Christ. When Jesus suffered the wrath of God on the cross for the sins of the world, He fully met the demands of God’s Law, and also fully expressed the love of God’s heart”. That’s the beauty in all of this. God establishes a standard of holiness that no one can obtain. He does this because He is holy. And all who want to draw near to God must obtain the level of holiness which He demands. But instead of standing off by Himself identifying who is a sinner, God draws near. Christ steps in and takes the punishment we deserve. Is there any more clear example of God’s deep love for us than this? The fact that God provides a way for corrupt, sinful people who deserve His wrath to escape His wrath testifies to His righteousness.

That Law, which was given to the Old Testament Jews, was a witness to God’s righteousness. But all it did was demonstrate just how holy and righteous God truly is. It could not, however, provide righteousness for a sinful humanity. That’s where Jesus steps in. Only Jesus could provide for us what the Law could not. “For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die” (Galatians 2:21).

I think many of us know this. I think most Christians understand just what God did through the death and resurrection of Jesus. But what we may not know is that the death of Jesus didn’t just pay the penalty for our sin, but for all of humanity who have been, who are, and who will one day be. You see, long ago God knew of the sacrifice Jesus would one day pay for all of humanity. And he held back punishing people for their sin knowing the day would come when the blood of Jesus would cover all sin. This is the meaning behind verses 25 and 26. “For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, ²⁶ for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus” (Romans 3:25-26). This is what the animal sacrifices accomplished in the Old Testament times. Although it seems the Jews did not know this, the animals they sacrificed purchased a temporary righteousness from God. And He accepted their sacrifice knowing that one day Jesus would pay the full debt.

Of course, this section raises a valid question. If people are justified because of the death of Jesus, does this mean all people? Does this mean everyone gets to go to heaven? And if not everyone, then who is justified? Who is declared righteous by God? Paul anticipated this question which he stresses in the end of this section. Justification is granted to a person by God because of their faith. But what that faith looks like and what justification means is discussed in the next section which we will cover in two weeks. Until then may you fully realize that even though all of us have sinned and that all of us have fallen short of God’s glorious standard, God, in His love and mercy declares us innocent (justified) because of what Christ did on the cross.

Faces in the Mind of Moses

I still see their faces, and I wonder if Moses did as well.

Every now and then I end up second guessing myself; doubting that I truly am serving and leading within the will of God.  As a pastor, I am called to shepherd a flock.  As a shepherd I care and watch over the people God has entrusted into my care.  But part of being a shepherd is not merely fending off the wolf or the lion who would destroy the sheep, but also leading the sheep.  And there are times when the sheep need to be led.  There are times when, for the health of the flock, we must move on.  But what breaks my heart, and I mean REALLY breaks my heart, is that some of the sheep refuse to move.  Some of the sheep would rather stay right where they are even though the rest of the flock is ready to move.  And as we move, I look at those who would not budge.  I see their faces.

I can't help but wonder if this happened to Moses as well.  How many times did the population of Israel dwindle because some simply refused to move on?  There was the incident with the quail (Numbers 11:34), Korah's rebellion (Numbers 16:32), those who died complaining that Moses and Aaron caused all those people to die (Numbers 16:49), the poisonous snakes (Numbers 21:6), and finally all the people who died in the wilderness simply because they lived in fear instead of faith.  So considering the number of people who died while under Moses' care, I wonder if he still saw their faces in his mind.

When a congregation of believers becomes inward focused; thinking and caring only for itself, it will not be long before that congregation withers and dies.  And these are not my words.  These are the words of countless consultants and church health experts.  These are the words of researchers who studied both churches that grow and churches that had died.  Thom Rainer, president of Church Central (www.ChurchCentral.com) presented a case study in his book Break Out Churches.  It is an eye-opening read.  Unless a church takes the Great Commission seriously (Matthew 28:19-20), that church will eventually close its doors.

Knowing this, at each church I have served I always kept the Great Commission at the forefront of what we do; continually asking "how does this program/ministry/event help us fulfill the Great Commission". I have always served with the unchurched in mind.  And I have always tried to get the believers within those congregations to develop an "other focused" mentality; thinking not of themselves, but of those around them, and those who do not know Christ as Lord.  Yet, in each congregation I have encountered people who refused to change.  To them, church was self-focused.  A church cared for itself and for the people already part of the group.  And because I was so evangelistic minded, there was constant tension between myself and these people.

I still see the anger and indignation is the faces of these people.  Some are still part of the church.  But others, frustrated at the way the church is changing, decided to leave.  I regret that.  My heart breaks because they left.  And I sometimes begin to doubt whether I am truly serving according to God's will.  I struggle with feelings of guilt; that perhaps I am too task oriented in my ministry style, and have run over people trying to reach the goal.  But I don't want to be like that.  I want to be the kind of man who cares deeply for each and every individual.

Yet, I also am aware of the task the Lord has placed upon my shoulders; to lead His church where He is calling.  He desires to manifest His glory through each congregation.  He desires to do great things through each body of believers.  And He has called me to lead them according to His will.  So that means sometimes I must direct the people to change.  Sometimes I have to redirect their eyes off of themselves and on to those who are dying, destined for hell.  Sometimes I have to keep these people marching toward the goal God has set before us.  And sometimes there will be people unwilling to be moved. Sometimes they move on to another congregation.  But I still see their faces.  I still miss having them here.

Recently, as I was struggling with these doubts, I was confronted by a church member for being too focused on the heart of a person rather than on established policy and procedure.  I can't tell you how much I appreciated this accusation.  It was a gentle reminder that perhaps I am not as bullish about things as I had thought.  I mean, if one group accuses me of being too task oriented and another accuses me of being too people oriented, then I must be somewhere in the middle. Considering that I still see the faces of those who left the flock while I have been ministering, perhaps I'm not as cold and heartless as I had feared.

Anyway, there are people in my mind today.  They are the people who have left.  And I grieve that they left the congregations I pastored because of my ministry style and passion.  But apparently this is all part of being a shepherd and a leader.  As he stood on Mount Nebo looking out over the Promised Land I imagine there were faces in the mind of Moses as well.

Arguments - June 2nd, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

As we have been looking at the book of Romans, let me just remind you that Paul is taking his readers from conviction to salvation. Remember how this whole conversation began? Paul introduced this process when he said, “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life” (Romans 1:16-17).

After introducing his readers to the idea of salvation, Paul anticipates their reaction by addressing several arguments; arguments that some may make even today. He speaks to those who would say “But I didn’t know about God and His standard” (compare Romans 1:18-25). He corrects those who are tempted to say, “But I’m a good person and I’m not that bad” (compare Romans 1:26-32), or those who might say “At least I’m better than those Gentiles” (compare Romans 2:1-16), and those who would argue “But I’m Jewish” (compare Romans 2:17-29). This is what Paul has addressed up to this point; refuting the arguments that he had either heard or had anticipated hearing.

Paul has been addressing the Gentiles, but also the Jews; Gentiles who might be tempted to dismiss themselves from accountability because they had never known, and Jews who might be tempted to dismiss themselves from accountability because they had always known. No one can make an excuse before God. We are all accountable, both the Jew and the Gentile. But as we come to the end of this section in Romans, there is, however, one last excuse Paul addresses; that is the excuse of the pointing finger. Turn to Romans 3:1-8 and look what Paul says to those who say “yea but they sinned and got away with it, why can’t I”.

To fully understand what Paul is saying in this section we need to remember that the early church consisted of Christians from very diverse backgrounds. There were Christians who were raised Jewish and Christians who were raised as pagans. Paul had been speaking to the Jews who said, “Yea, but we are Jewish”. Paul then turns his attention to the Gentiles who want to point out “Yea but they sinned and got away with it”. There is no “yea but” with God. Just because their Jewish neighbors sinned did not mean the Gentile Christian could also sin. A Christian dare not compare themselves with other people. They must be looking to God’s standard of faithfulness.

As I stated earlier, Paul was arguing that being Jewish did not exclude someone from God’s judgment, and that obedience to God’s Law did not make a person right with God. Yet in spite of this he reminds his readers that the Jewish people had been entrusted with the Revelation God. It was to the Jews that God revealed Himself. And He desired to reveal Himself to the other nations of the world through the Jewish people. But just because some of these Jews were unfaithful in that responsibility does not mean God is unfaithful. In other words, a Gentile Christian dare not measure themselves against an unfaithful Jew, but against the righteousness of God. To strive for a faithfulness measured against an unfaithful Jew was simply wrong.

You would think this statement in itself would be enough to end the arguments that Paul had apparently heard. But, unfortunately it caused a few more. Again, either Paul had heard these arguments or had anticipated them being made. Either way, the next one to come along is the fact that if God’s righteousness is glorified by a person’s unrighteousness (creating some sort of contrast between the two), then why does God judge them for being unrighteous. Paul calls this kind of thinking stupid. It makes no sense at all. In other words, picture the person who might say that the grace of God is clearly displayed to the person who has the greatest sin. So in order for the world to see the grace of God, that person continues to sin. This argument is so silly that Paul does not even dignify it by giving an answer. It’s just another in a long list of arguments made by someone trying to remove themselves from being accountable before God.

The lesson for us in this final argument is easy to see. As a Christian we cannot live according to the crowd. We cannot allow our righteousness (our godly conduct) to be determined by the people around us. We have been called to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Granted, there are Christian’s around us who can become role-models for us, but they merely radiate Christ. It is Jesus we see through them, not the person. And if you talk to these people they will tell you this. The reason they are a godly influence is because of God. They will redirect a person’s praise heavenward. So even then we are called to look to Christ, not to others.

“No one is righteous - not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God” says Paul as he summarizes this first section of Romans. Everyone is without excuse, yet it seems that many will argue. “I didn’t know; I’m not that bad; At least I’m better than those Gentiles; But I’m Jewish”; “Yea but they sin”; and finally, “God is glorified by my sin”. All of these excuses are given by a person attempting to remove themselves from being accountable before God. But they don’t work. Neither birth, nor culture, nor education, or environment removes us from being held accountable to God. We will all stand before Him one day. Whether we stand before Him alone is discussed in the next section. We’ll talk about that next week.