Some chapters of Romans are well represented in our preaching: 

Chps 1 to 5 – Parts quoted in the gospel 
Chp 6 – at baptisms 
Chp 8 – ministry 
Chp 12 – ministry 

Certain parts are regarded as difficult: 

Chapters 7, 10 and 11 

Some parts the truth is found by some to be unpalatable: 

Chapter 9 

Some parts seem just plane ignored; amongst them chapter 13! 

Is this perhaps because we feel the ministry here is too direct / simple / on the surface and not much more needs to be said about it? 

Is chapter 13…

Romans chapter 12 verses 9 to 13 - When Gift is not Enough - J Stewart Gillespie

A strange thought: 'when gift is not enough' 

Is this: 

• Ingratitude? 
• Unthankfulness? 
• Ungratefulness? 
• Greediness? 
• Unbelief? 

Following on from the themes previously noted of: 

• Fragrance of Sacrifice (12:1-2) – personal consecration 
• Fellowship of Saints (12:3-8) – use of spiritual gifts 
• Fruitfulness in Spirit (12:9-21) 

In vs 3 to 8 we come to a section that deals with Christians collectively 

We…

The Gospel works! 

Even the sceptics have to acknowledge that! 

Charles Darwin, the author of the 'Origin of the Species,'  visited the island of Tierra del Fuego, Darwin included the inhabitants in his 'Descent of Man' regarding them as part of the 'missing link.' Darwin considered them a little above animals and a little lower than man: uncivilised, naked, perhaps with suggestions of cannibalism. 

Darwin: “for the reflection at once rushed into my mind – such were our ancestors,” 

A second visit following…

Romans chapter 12 gives a Biblical view of the personal call to the altar for believers . It is a view which goes beyond the Old Testament view that was apparent to the OT offeror in Leviticus; for the offeror and his sacrifice the altar was the end! If my view of the altar is the same, then this place of the altar will be a place full of foreboding and dread, a place to be avoided at all costs, and I will probably fail either to desire to come here or to actually come here at all. 

Before we can desire…

There is a great danger in this present world of becoming caught up with ourselves. 

This section points us to the fact that we are not what God is doing, neither me, nor a nation, nor a church but rather we are part of what God is doing. 

This section invites me to take a step back and look at the bigger pitcher 

There is something very broad and expansive about this view of Gods dealings in grace. 

One of the sad things about this section is that many have approached it with a desire to rigidly define…

We have an insight into the heart of an irrepressible Christian. 

Everything is thrown at the apostle Paul: 

Tortured by men  (2 Co11:23ff) 
Troubled by deep emotions  (Rom 9:1ff) 
Taunted by skeptics (Rom 11:1ff) 
Tested by the Devil  (Eph 6:10ff; 1 Thess 2:18) 

Physical battles (2 Co11:23ff) 
Emotional battles (Rom 9:1ff) 
Psychological battles (Rom 11:1ff) – you're all alone 
Spiritual battles (Eph 6:10ff; 1 Thess 2:18) 

Yet true salvation is secure salvation 

The genuine believer is finally triumphant…

2 groups of people: 

The Remnant (11:4-7) 
The Rest (11:7-10) 

Whilst we have 2 groups I want to think about 3 conditions: 

Sleeping (11:7-8) 
Stumbling (11:9) 
Sold out for God (11:4-7) 

Conditions (1) and (2) really apply to the one group of people – the rest 

But perhaps we can see that there is decline in their condition 

From bad to worse? 

Sold out for God: 

The Remnant of Grace: 

Communicating with Power (11:4) 
Consecrated to a Person (11:4) 
Committed to a Purpose (11:5-6) 

Communicating with Power…

Romans chp 11 – part of the difficult part of Romans? 

Is there an easy part? 

Romans chps 9 to 11 – a parenthesis – it is, but not that much of a parenthesis 

Is it out of place? 

Chps 1 -3 – Sin 

Chps 3 – 5 – Salvation 

Chps 6 – 8 – Sanctification 

Chp 7 – Struggle with the flesh 

Chp 8 – Victory in the Spirit 

chps 9 to 11 – Israel 

Is it there out of habit? 

Is it there out of place? 

Is it there out of order? 

I think rather out of necessity! 

Perhaps chps 9 to 11 are not really primarily about Israel…

The Lordship of Christ, probably one of the least popular truths amongst professing Christians today. 

Preach to us about heaven and Christ, but don't tell us what to do! 

Everything we have studied together over the past couple of years in Romans is being denied today in professing Christendom: 

Total Depravity (Chps 1 -3) 

We have men today invited to do a course, to get to heaven! 

The apostles didn't invite anyone to do a course! 

They preached that God now commands all men everywhere to repent and…

Because of Christ there is: 

1.    Purpose in Suffering (8:28-30) - Christ Glorified - to share in His Glory (8:29-30) 

2.    Proof of Gods interest in my suffering (8:31-34) - Christ Crucified 

3.    Power in Suffering (8:34-39) - Power available to transform suffering - Christ Resurrected 

1.    Purpose in Suffering (8:28-30) - Christ Glorified - to share in His Glory (8:29-30) 

To make me like a glorified Saviour 

The worlds problem with suffering: 

1.    Moral issue - Suffering is…

In some ways the story of the bible is the story of how God moves from what is good, even very good (Gen1) to what is utterly glorious. 

How can you improve on a good work of God? 

Not so much that God improves on a good work of God or that there are faults in Gods work which need to be improved upon but rather the good work of God is not the final work of God. 

Gods good work is the platform upon which He will work His glorious work. 

None of that would cause us to blink a theological eyelid I am sure was…

In this biblical study of Romans chapter 8 we look at one of the great theological problems of the Christian world view; the problem of suffering. We look for answers in text of the bible as to why do people suffer? Why do I suffer? Can there be a God if there is so much suffering and pain in this world?

The biblical teaching on this subject is surprising!

The problem of suffering and of pain in a broken and fallen world was not ignored by the writers of the Bible.

We are not the first ones to ask; why do…

We have looked at the leading of the Spirit in Romans chp 8 so far in terms of: 

What is the leading of the Spirit doctrinally? 

Considered the link with 8:13 and that the leading of the Spirit will lead us to mortify the deeds of the body. 
We considered however that this was not a narrow thing but a broad matter, encompassing the story of Romans so far: dealing with Gods work in us leading us from sin (chp 1) and from self (chp 2) to salvation (chp 3) and sanctification (chp 6-8). 
Considered that this is…

“Shall we continue in sin?”  (Rom6:1) 

We considered 4 reasons: 

1. We are Dead to Sin (6:1-6) 
2. We are Alive to Christ (6:5-11) 
3. Because I Serve Another (6:12-20) 
4. Because Sin remains Sin (6:21-23) 

Because I Serve Another: 

We thought about this practically 

Consider how the whole body is used in service, start from the top: 

Our master (6:12) – Tour Head 
Our mortal body (6:12) – Our Human Desires / Lusts of the Body 
Our members (6:13) – Our Hands 
Our motive (6:17-19) – Our Heart 

Our master…

There is no doubt that 'death' brings an end, a closure to matters! 

It is possible to miss the simple message of Romans 6, to get away from the simplicity and clarity of it! 

The Christian life begins with a conversion – an end to the old and a beginning of the new! 

There would hardly be a more clear cut, a more dramatic way of putting it: black and white, right and wrong, life and death! 

This is an absolute! 

We may go on a course, an Alpha Course and answer the questions but if there is no conversion…

“shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (6:1) 

This might seem a bizarre idea, a strange suggestion 

At times grace shields from our horizon the full consequences of our sin 

God remains a Holy and Righteous God – He has not changed 

It is possible however for this kind of idea to creep into our thinking 

Am I trading on Gods Grace? 

Would my behaviour change if: 

If I thought that my lie / deception would be dealt with the same way as Ananias Saphira's was? (Acts 5) 2 believers lie to the…

What happens when a child dies?

Where does a dead child go?

Is a child who dies saved or lost?

Do all dead children go to heaven?

These and other questions pertaining to the death of a child we wish to answer from what the Bible says and from what the Lord Jesus taught.

The position of children in Grace: 

Far greater and completely different from their position before: 

• The law 
• Roman and Greek society 
• The disciples 

There is perhaps no section that deals with children which turns our thinking…

What happens when a child dies? 

Where does a dead child go? 

Is a child who dies saved or lost? 

Is there any hope for such a child who dies before an age of understanding?

Do all dead children go to heaven? 

These and other questions pertaining to the death of a child we wish to answer from what the Bible says and from what the Lord Jesus taught, in this bible study and in the messages from Romans chapter 5 where we address this topic in detail.

With respect to the salvation of a child and God's provision…

Part of our series from Romans chapter 5 on what the bible says on the destiny of the child who dies.

Why is it that over 2000 years and 40 authors the answer to the question appears not to be clearly answered? 

Why do we not have a book, a chapter, an epistle that answers the simple question how can a child be saved? After all we have  many passages of scripture that appear to deal in fine detail with every aspect of life: 

Vegetarianism (Rom14) 
Food sacrificed to idols – (1 Co 10) 
Head coverings – (1…

A walk through the old grave yard in New Cumnock, there lies amongst the many headstones the remains of one, incomplete, on which reads the following: 

their 3 children who were born on the 13th March 1870 

and died a son at birth 

a son aged 29 hours 

Mary Craig aged 20 days 

James Craig their son born 27th October 1878 died 28th October 1883 

Mary Craig their daughter born 13th March 1877 died 1st October 1888 

Bessie their daughter born 7th May 1889 died 19th April 1890 

Robert Craig their son born the…

A heavy chapter of doctrine, 

Great doctrinal subjects such as: 

The sovereignty of God 
The plan of salvation 
The all sufficiency of Gods Grace 

See in the 3 sections that Gods Grace is sufficient for and Gods purposes are Sovereign over: 

1. Life's Problems (5:-5) 
2. Salvation's Plan (5:6-11) 
3. Man's Plight (5:12-21) 

Or to put it another way He is enough for the: 

1. Worries of Life (5:-5) 
2. Weakness of Self (5:6-11) 
3. Wickedness of Man (5:12-21) 

I can rest in His all Sufficient Grace in: 

…

Righteousness is Credited (4:1-5) 

Sin is Cleansed (4:6-8) 

2 Errors of Mark 10:17-31: 

Salvation is Deserved: “what shall I do that I may inherit...” (10:17); “all these have I observed” (10:20) 

Salvation makes no Demands: salvation ultimately makes the demand of discipleship (Mk8:34), implicit in saving faith is that I see the need for salvation and implicit in this is repentance from the way I was going.

Faith in Christ means turning away from sin, Satan and self. 

Often emphasises the 2 sides to a…

3 Key Words: 

Righteousness (v21) – a “righteousness apart from the law” - we considered Gods righteous Standard in chapters 1 – 3 and in this transitional verse we noted a Righteousness from God that is able to bring salvation rather than damnation, justification rather than condemnation. We found an example of a righteousness of God that saves in the book of Joshua, in Rahab the Harlot saved on the basis of righteousness! Gods Righteousness is not only a standard but it also becomes a standing by faith in…

3 Key Words: 

Righteousness (v21) – a “righteousness apart from the law” - we considered Gods righteous Standard in chapters 1 – 3 and in this transitional verse we noted a Righteousness from God that is able to bring salvation rather than damnation, justification rather than condemnation. We found an example of a righteousness of God that saves in the book of Joshua, in Rahab the Harlot saved on the basis of righteousness! Gods Righteousness is not only a standard but it also becomes a standing by faith in…

God Shows His Righteousness in Salvation 

There is a light that shines through the whole of scripture from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. 

The Word of God makes me aware that that Light and the apparent source of that Light are not one and the same! 

The Word of God distinguishes between the source and the substance 

Generally the ancient mind failed to do this: the commonest god to be worshiped by pagan man: Romans, Egyptians, Philistines, Hindus was the sun god. Why? Because the sun was regarded as the…