Martin Luther's Breakthrough
Ro 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
The expression "the righteousness of God" was very crucial to Martin Luther's thinking. Initially, he thought that it refers to God's active, harsh, punishing wrath demanding that a person keep God's law perfectly in order to be saved. He saw God as a Being who was seeking righteousness from sinners. If there is none, He would punish them.
Imagine God saying to you: "Where are your works of righteousness that I might justify you oh poor and wretched sinner? I will punish you if you have none!" That's how Luther understood the words "the righteousness of God."
But Luther stuck with the apostle Paul (the writer of the epistle of Romans). He continued to read and study the book and then finally he saw it! It was a complete reversal of what he initially thought. Instead of God demanding righteousness from sinners, the expression, "the righteousness of God," actually meant God offering and imputing righteousness to poor sinners through faith and faith alone!
Ro 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Ro 3: 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.
Ro 4: 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
Ro 4: 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
Ro 4: 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness
Elsewhere, Paul writes:
Php 3:9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
My friend, are you seeking to be right with God? Do you long to have a right standing with God? Do you want to be perfectly righteous in His sight even though you are still a sinner right now?
Well, by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for all your sins on the cross, you can have it. You can have the righteousness of God placed in your spiritual bank account. Martin Luther's breakthrough can be your breakthrough, and it's all in Christ. Come to Him now in faith!
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
GOSPEL NUGGET #589
Nu 23:21 "He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel..."
Israel's history before this has been wayward, unbelieving and rebellious many a time. Israel, no doubt, has been marked by iniquity and wickedness. But, here, God is said to have not observed and seen iniquity and wickedness in Israel. How is that?
The Bible, elsewhere says: "Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin or iniquity." (see Psalm 32:2)
God, in Numbers 23:21, looked ahead, into the future, when Israel, as a nation, will repent and turn to the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, in faith. By then, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Lamb of God, will take away all their sins, and they will be covered with the robe of His righteousness.
Isa 61:10 says: "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."
My friend, Israel's future blessing can be your present enjoyment if you turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith, trusting in Him and what He did on the cross for your justification. Yes, you may be marked with iniquity and wickedness but, in Him, God will never see and observed in you any sin at all. In Him, you will be covered with His perfect righteousness.
Israel's history before this has been wayward, unbelieving and rebellious many a time. Israel, no doubt, has been marked by iniquity and wickedness. But, here, God is said to have not observed and seen iniquity and wickedness in Israel. How is that?
The Bible, elsewhere says: "Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin or iniquity." (see Psalm 32:2)
God, in Numbers 23:21, looked ahead, into the future, when Israel, as a nation, will repent and turn to the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, in faith. By then, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Lamb of God, will take away all their sins, and they will be covered with the robe of His righteousness.
Isa 61:10 says: "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."
My friend, Israel's future blessing can be your present enjoyment if you turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith, trusting in Him and what He did on the cross for your justification. Yes, you may be marked with iniquity and wickedness but, in Him, God will never see and observed in you any sin at all. In Him, you will be covered with His perfect righteousness.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
GOSPEL NUGGET # 588
Isa 10:3 What will you do in the day of punishment, And in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory?
4 Without Me they shall bow down among the prisoners, And they shall fall among the slain."
God was about to leave Israel to the Assyrians as punishment for their sins. They will come and invade Israel and leave them desolate. Some will be taken away captive. Others will be slain. Without God, who will help Israel?
Applying this to spiritual salvation, my friend, you know that you are a sinner. If you remain unrepentant, what will you do in the day of punishment and desolation? Without taking refuge in the Savior and what He did on the cross, to whom will you flee for salvation?
My friend, come to the Savior now! Repent, turn to Him and trust in what He did for you on the cross of Calvary. Without Him, you shall bow down in humiliation and will be forever imprisoned in the place of judgment, suffering the kind of death that never dies.
4 Without Me they shall bow down among the prisoners, And they shall fall among the slain."
God was about to leave Israel to the Assyrians as punishment for their sins. They will come and invade Israel and leave them desolate. Some will be taken away captive. Others will be slain. Without God, who will help Israel?
Applying this to spiritual salvation, my friend, you know that you are a sinner. If you remain unrepentant, what will you do in the day of punishment and desolation? Without taking refuge in the Savior and what He did on the cross, to whom will you flee for salvation?
My friend, come to the Savior now! Repent, turn to Him and trust in what He did for you on the cross of Calvary. Without Him, you shall bow down in humiliation and will be forever imprisoned in the place of judgment, suffering the kind of death that never dies.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
GOSPEL NUGGET #587
How To Raise Your Chances Of Not Getting Murdered
A lot of crimes happen to people when they are being the wrong kind of people which then leads them to the wrong kind of places to meet the wrong kind of people.
A lot of crimes happen to people when they are being the wrong kind of people which then leads them to the wrong kind of places to meet the wrong kind of people.
Here is a couple who loves to spend their time in night clubs who then happen to chance upon another couple who are into thrill-killing. They invite them back home and then the crime happens.
Because they are being the wrong kind of people (they enjoy morally-compromising places) their wrong characters gravitated them to the wrong kind of places like night clubs. And there, chances are high, they would meet the wrong kind of people; which, in this case, is a couple who are into thrill-killing. The result? The wrong kind of happening --- they got murdered. This is a true story. And crimes of this sort are numerous in detective stories featured on TV.
How do you elude the wrong kind of people? Actually, no one can get away from the wrong kind of people 100% all the time. You will have to get out of this world for that to be possible.
However, there is a way to avoid the wrong kind of people TO A DEGREE. That is by not going into the wrong kind of places. But how do you get yourself not to go into these places?
Well, it's by having the right kind of heart. But how do you get such a heart?
Well, it's by having the right kind of heart. But how do you get such a heart?
Well, it's by being right with God. If you are right with God then you can be right with your self because God will give to people, who are right with Him, a new heart with a new nature with new desires.
Eze 18:31 "Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?
Eze 36:26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ac 15:9 "and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith (in Christ Jesus).
How do you get right with God? By trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross for salvation.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
GOSPEL NUGGET #586
Php 3:3 "...have no confidence in the flesh"
A Christian here is described by the apostle Paul as someone who puts no confidence in the flesh.
What is "flesh" here? If you drop the letter h and read it backwards flesh refers to our own selves. Flesh refers to self; its attainments and achievements. There are many people who are placing their confidence in the flesh. They believe that by their religious works and activities they would be justified and saved. They believe that they could save themselves by self-effort; by their works.
But a Christian is not someone like that. A Christian is someone who has no confidence in self but puts His trust and reliance on the Savior and what He did on the cross for the sinner's salvation.
Where is your faith and confidence for salvation? Is it in Self or in the Savior?
A Christian here is described by the apostle Paul as someone who puts no confidence in the flesh.
What is "flesh" here? If you drop the letter h and read it backwards flesh refers to our own selves. Flesh refers to self; its attainments and achievements. There are many people who are placing their confidence in the flesh. They believe that by their religious works and activities they would be justified and saved. They believe that they could save themselves by self-effort; by their works.
But a Christian is not someone like that. A Christian is someone who has no confidence in self but puts His trust and reliance on the Savior and what He did on the cross for the sinner's salvation.
Where is your faith and confidence for salvation? Is it in Self or in the Savior?
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
GOSPEL NUGGET #585
A popular singer in the US on her trip to Israel said the following:
I’ve never felt such a sense of spirituality or connection to God... something I’ve been missing for a few years now. Spirituality is so important to me... to be baptized in the Jordan river – the same place Jesus was baptized – I’ve never felt more renewed in my life."
She further said: "This trip has been so important for my well-being, my heart, and my soul. I'm grateful for the memories and the opportunity to be able to fill the God-sized hole in my heart. Thank you for having me, Israel."
Two things:
* First, she puts emphasis on the feelings she experienced about the whole thing. "I’ve never FELT such a sense of spirituality or connection to God... something I’ve been missing for a few years now" and "I’ve never FELT more renewed in my life."
Martin Luther said: "...feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving; My warrant is the Word of God, nought else is worth believing."
* Second, spirituality, connecting with God and life renewal are to be had in Christ Jesus, not in some ceremony or ritual in some location, even if the place was once trodden upon by the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Word of God, the sure and reliable standard better than any experience or feeling, says that you can only be spiritual if you have the Holy Spirit. And you can only have the Holy Spirit through faith in the Savior.
What's more, is that it also says that connection to God, being reconciled to God and being born again (resulting in a renewed life) are also obtained by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross. You don't have to go anywhere to a special place in order to have these when the Savior and all His benefits are just a faith away.
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God...
2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
I’ve never felt such a sense of spirituality or connection to God... something I’ve been missing for a few years now. Spirituality is so important to me... to be baptized in the Jordan river – the same place Jesus was baptized – I’ve never felt more renewed in my life."
She further said: "This trip has been so important for my well-being, my heart, and my soul. I'm grateful for the memories and the opportunity to be able to fill the God-sized hole in my heart. Thank you for having me, Israel."
Two things:
* First, she puts emphasis on the feelings she experienced about the whole thing. "I’ve never FELT such a sense of spirituality or connection to God... something I’ve been missing for a few years now" and "I’ve never FELT more renewed in my life."
Martin Luther said: "...feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving; My warrant is the Word of God, nought else is worth believing."
* Second, spirituality, connecting with God and life renewal are to be had in Christ Jesus, not in some ceremony or ritual in some location, even if the place was once trodden upon by the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Word of God, the sure and reliable standard better than any experience or feeling, says that you can only be spiritual if you have the Holy Spirit. And you can only have the Holy Spirit through faith in the Savior.
What's more, is that it also says that connection to God, being reconciled to God and being born again (resulting in a renewed life) are also obtained by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross. You don't have to go anywhere to a special place in order to have these when the Savior and all His benefits are just a faith away.
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God...
2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
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