Last week Tuesday, in response to the national election, we went out of sequence a bit and navigated Paul's letter to the Romans, Chapter 13. Paul discussed our necessary submission to governing authorities, citing that "there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God" (Chapter 13:1). We are called to submit to the government authorities(and pray for them), as well as those the LORD has given to us in our daily lives such as teachers, supervisors, parents, and the like. We tend to resist them sometimes, but are called to respect their authority, as even King David did while King Saul was hunting David down to kill him. God is good, has a plan for you and your family, and will always provide for His faithful people. Tomorrow morning, we'll pick up where we left off two weeks ago, with Chapter 5. In Chapter 5, Paul begins with his introductory word, therefore. Paul is again inviting us to see an important connection. This time it is the connection between the righteousness received from God (justification) and the effects this righteousness has in the believer's life. A number times Paul has spoken of justification as being for all people. That teaching is often referred to as general justification. The universal aspect of justification, however, is just one side of the picture. The necessary counterpart to this teaching of general justification is a proper understanding of subjective justification, that is, the need for faith in the heart of an individual to receive the blessings that objectively are there for him and for all people by virtue of God's doing. The unbeliever who rejects Christ's righteousness loses the benefit of what is truly there also for him. It is the former group, namely, believers who are subjectively justified by faith, of whom Paul speaks here. There are great and grand things coming to them in their new life in Christ. I invite you to join us tomorrow morning at 7am to see the many great and grand things the LORD has in-store for YOU! Hint: God is Love, and He has an abundance of ways to remind of His Love!

by Dan Trempala on November 12, 2024