The Aging Raging Candidate Who Cried Racist

There was once an aging raging candidate who seemed to care for her useful herd at the foot of the progressive slope  near a blooming socialist. It was rather lonely for this narcissist all day, so she thought upon a plan by which she could get the nomination and some attention. She rushed down towards the villagers calling out “Racist, Racist,” and the villagers came out to meet her, and some of them stopped with her for a considerable time. This pleased the aging raging candidate so much that a few days afterwards she tried the same trick, and again the villagers came to applaud her. But shortly after the Racist actually did show herself at a careless moment, and began to worry her useful herd, and the aging raging candidate of course cried out “Racist, Racist,” still louder than before. But this time the villagers, who had been fooled twice before, thought the aging raging candidate was again deceiving them, and nobody stirred to come to her help. So the Racist made a good meal off the useful herd, and when the aging raging candidate denied her true identity, the wise man on the right side said:

“The Racist is the aging raging candidate. She was blinded by her own prejudice that she harmed her own herd made of up the race she claimed  was her favorite. A liar will not be believed, even when she speaks the truth, especially when she denies the Racist lives within her.”

(A parody of Aesop's Fable "The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf").

Creation or Evolution?

The "loving God" who most westerners claim is truly loving,  is a just God. He's angry with those who reject righteousness. He sits on his throne in heaven, knows all that we do and is either is a pleased God or an angry God.

All created gods are endowed with the desire to be appeased. They are copied after the One True God whose objective is appeasement! God does expect one thing from his creation... that we all love him! If people reject their Creator and make gods of mere images, God is jealous! Jealousy creates wrath. You Joel Osteen worshipers may not like it, but God must discipline those who fail to love him!  He is a wrathful God. Now look at why:

Romans 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."

Wrath is having vengeful anger (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).  God said that he is vengeful, but he is only so if he is angry! Why would he be angry? Because his creation is unrighteous! He has reason to be because mankind ignores him and even make gods of other created animals. What an insult! Because people can't visually see God they make gods which they can see!

In order to be righteous it's imperative to understand what is unrighteous. God desires our love and created standards for love. Foremost is that only the living God can save people! That's all the standard we need. We must show love for God and how we demonstrate that love is by loving others. Written in stone and never subject to change are the Ten Commandments. That's standards for loving God (1-4) and others (5-10).

In these passages (above) Paul  examines the First Commandment and the Second Commandment which are:

Exodus 20:3 (1st Commandment) Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 (2nd Commandment) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Romans 1:22 tells of the error of the people. Because they don't honor an unseen God they create gods which they can see. (My contention is that ultimately because people reject authority, each are their own god because they all do what is right in their own eyes. They make idols which seems right to them, but all those idols are the "self" in disguise.)

Some will say that pagan third-world peoples may not have heard of God so they create their own and as such are vicariously worshiping the same God. That is the heresy of universalism. False gods are not representations of the One True God. That includes Allah, Buddha, Confucius, animals of all types, Ascended Masters and even Obama!

Because they are ignorant is no excuse! "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse."

What Paul is saying that the glory of God who we cannot see is reflected in what he has created! Because our world and the universe is beyond  random chance, even ignorant people must come to the conclusion that an unseen Almighty God must have created it!

This is a basic in Judeo-Christian belief! It's imperative to believe in the Creator God because he is our Father. If he didn't create us, he's not our Father, and is not Almighty. Let's look at the first mention of God in scripture:

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

God's word says that he IS he who created everything. Those who accept the THEORY of evolution break the "First, Greatest and Paramount Commandment": To love God with every fabric of your being!  That's not happening because most people fell for the lie of evolution: that creation "just happened". With that belief people create an idol and violate the Second Commandment: Have no idols. What is the idol of the people? "Chance!" If you don't like her under that name, another name for her is "Reason". That's man elevating the "self" to the level of God!

So the first error unrighteous people make is "I believe in evolution." That condemns God as a liar because the first thing he said to mankind is "I did it all!" For those who create an evolution idol, they deny God who is the Creator. In their eyes of the first thing he said is a lie, then anything after that would be a lie as well. Evolutionist Christians have a liar God, and he lied when he said that Jesus is Savior. Christianity falls for those who disbelief the creation. It's not THEORY. It's TRUTH because chance cannot explain it. Only a Creator God makes sense!

And because of the creation all serious people must recognize a Creator. It's stupid to worship the creation which can be seen because it's obvious that what can be seen can't create what we see. It must be God who we cannot see who did it! This is a basic and essential belief and Paul presents that case first thing!

Paul is espousing the essentiality that Almighty God the Creator must be credited and revered. If that isn't the case, people don't truly love him and are foolish, believing a lie and not him! As fools they don't deserve God's mercy and God, being just, allows Satan to accompany the unbeliever to hell. That is a vengeful God, Mr. Osteen, and all the positive talk in the world does not negate the wrath of a just God.

All gods are not God and pagans who worship other gods will suffer God's vengeance. That's not "Religiously Correct", but truth seldom is! Likewise, those who think they can impress or remold God with positive affirmations have made themselves their own idol. God is not a genie to be rubbed and good stuff come about. He examines our hearts and sees if we are with him or against him. Woe to those who do what's right in their own eyes!

The first thing to do to rectify the sin of pagan worship is to recognize that Creation is not an option for a true believer. It is a first step right before one sees the Light: Idols nor self can ever save us, but only God can because he sacrificed himself for us out of love in spite of the fact that most cannot even call him Father and Creator.

Ditch the other distractions Satan propagates. Believe in God and truth and you shall be saved!

Acts: Babel Resurrected

Biblical relationships are simply amazing. Old Testament stories are more than history and much more than stories. The word "scripture" in the New Testament refers to the Old Testament . Therefore, to find out about Jesus, he can be found first in the Old Testament, specifically Genesis Chapter 1.

I have written before on the relationship between the confounding of language in Genesis and the restoration of a common language in Acts Chapter 2. (See link CRYPT AND DECRYPT).

In summary I believe because the Jewish people were far removed from God and absent from the Holy Spirit, and that their common language became encrypted with thousands of mutations as a lesson in justice. I believe that prior to that time the common language was Adam's language. When the Word spoke to Adam it was the incarnate Jesus' Voice which was heard and it was a holy language. Some say that it was ancient Hebrew.

In Acts I believe Jesus came again! He returned in spirit without flesh. Because a dead person's spirit came back, a disembodied spirit is a ghost. In this case he came back as the Ghost of Jesus because it was the Spirit of a dead man who came back. The Holy Ghost is the Holy Spirit, but specifically the Spirit of God in Jesus who was with him on the cross!

Just as the Holy Spirit discomforted sinners with the confounding of their language, it appears that the Holy Ghost removed the confound when the church was young. People needed to understand each other to populate the church, the opposite of the confounding which depopulated Babel.

The Holy Spirit encrypted mankind's language and the Holy Ghost decrypted it; returning to a common language such that everyone who was in one accord understood the language! It was an "unknown tongue" (although the  Greek doesn't say "unknown") since the people had never heard it before because it ceased to be thousands of years before at Babel!

With that said, let's look at the store again:

Genesis 11:1 "And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. 4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."

Two things are brought to our attention: 1) "The whole earth was on of one language," and 2) "They all gathered together on the plain of Shinar (Iraq).  Then when justice was served the Lord "said" things. In scripture when the Lord "speaks", he is The Word and is the pre-incarnate Jesus!

What was manner of justice was served? 1) Their language was confounded, and 2) the Lord scattered the people over the face of the earth. As they were scattered their communion was cut off for two reasons: 1) Understanding and 2) proximity. God allowed them to "do what was right in their own eyes" because God chooses not to force love.  When people scattered they established new gods in distant lands and even the Hebrew people had "other gods before him".

Justice was served for ages. Then the Father decided that the time had come. He had a Son who was as his Father. This Son's difference was that he took on the same flesh enjoyed by man, felt man's temptation, had empathy of the creature and then because he loved his creation so much, Jesus died in their place. He died for all those peoples scattered all over the earth! They were of the seed of all those who built the tower in defiance of God's will!

After three days Jesus was resurrected. Because he loves us so much his desire is that we all be resurrected. After preparing to rejoin God, Jesus ascended, but shortly his Holy Ghost descended. When Jesus returned in Spirit he resurrected the old common language which had been encrypted so long ago. There was one more thing he must do to restore the people. They were to be resurrected as well!

Acts Chapter 2 is the resurrection of what was before the tower of Babel.  Not only was their language resurrected, but so were the people. They gathered there from all over the earth and their language was restored to them. They became one people again under Jesus with one language! Rather than seek another God by looking toward the heavens they found God right there. After being scattered because of disloyalty to the Word, they were restored because of loyalty to Jesus! They were changed people!

The people came from all over the earth and joined together again in a new kingdom; the kingdom of God. They were separated in Babel, but were resurrected in God's Kingdom. That's where the original language is spoken; the language of angels which Adam spoke!

Before the people were Babblers. Now they are gathered together and called Christians. Just as the false religion of Babel was destroyed, the true religion of Christ was born! The followers of Jesus from many lands became one people again! And as Acts Chapter 2 indicates, as Jesus came back in Spirit they were all one again, being all in one accord!

In Babel because of disrespect they went from one to many peoples, but Christians came from many into one!

John 17:21 "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."

From many one! What a story. What God put asunder God restored. Those people whose seed died spiritually in Babel were resurrected again as they joined together as one in Christ centuries later. What a plan! God is a just God. His restoration of defiant people is grace. He didn't have to do that for those who despised him, but he did it because he loves them so!

Shall Be Saved

We were discussing salvation last evening at church. Our church is General Baptist. That entails a belief in "conditional security" in opposition to regular Baptist belief in "eternal security".  When one is "born again" with the latter belief one is said to be "saved" because they can never become apostate. (Note: my word processor won't even accept "saved" there because the context is meaningless!)

Apostasy is when a person renounces their faith. For a Christians this means that a person once believed, but now no longer does. It's not that people lose divine grace, but relinquish it of their own accord because God never forces himself on people!

I won't go into the mechanism of losing faith, but the allowance that we can is called "free will" and that is from God such that we voluntarily accept his authority without coercion from him. We use free will when we are born again and it's not realistic or scriptural to imply that we lose free will when we're born again. (For eternal security to have validity all points of Calvinism must be accepted or it fails to have meaning.)

Christians by rote declaration declare proudly, "I AM saved!" That's a great thing to say because it shows confidence in God. However, that is NOT an accurate statement! This notion was a contentious issue last night in bible study. Virginia took the stance "I am saved and always will be!" I adore that. She has been faithful for years and I am certain that she always will and she is certain as well. God gave her that assurance and that's what he expects of Christians. Virginia is a woman of great faith!

I took the position that I'm NOT saved, although I have been "born again". See my commentary of that subject at link BORN AGAIN). Briefly, being "born again" is when one is enlightened that he can never save himself and only Jesus can save and because of that light they turn to Jesus for eternal life.

Just as Virginia, I have confidence that I will be saved. However, hers is present tense and mine is future. Let's consider an airplane about to crash. When it crashes some may live. As such during the crash some live to tell about it. They were just saved. It's past tense. However, if God gave me a feeling that the plane will crash and I don't fly, then I am in safety and "made safe". After the plane crashes I too have been saved! Tense matters because words matter and have meaning!

Paul declared to the Romans this:

Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

"Whosoever" means anyone! That's a great promise. Salvation is meant for all mankind because God so loves us! Let is focus on grace. God will save anyone who will call upon the name of the Lord, and that name must be Jesus. With that said let's look at "shall be saved". That's the transliteration from koine Greek or the language of the common person in Hellenistic Judea.

"Shall" is future tense no matter in what context it's used. In archaic times it meant "will" and used with "be" those who call upon Jesus "will be" saved. The time frame for "will be" or "shall be" is someplace between the next instant or thereafter. It's not in any time before the person calls upon Jesus. Most people believe that it is the instant that one calls upon Jesus and that is certainly a possibility as is any time thereafter!

Koine Greek for "shall" means "entitlement". By calling on Jesus "entitles" the person to salvation. Without  calling on Jesus we have no entitlement to eternal life and thus no hope. Hope is an easy one. It's confidence that Jesus will deliver on eternal life and that those who call on Jesus has that entitlement because of grace (a free gift from God) and that to "earn" (sic) salvation one must only trust Jesus.

"Be" means simply that something exists. For salvation it means that it has the possibility of taking place. So sometimes in the future after calling on Jesus the one who calls is entitled by grace to be "saved".

What is "saved".  In common vernacular it has become "delivered from sin" and as such when Virginia said "I am saved!" that is acceptable in the modern lexicon because it is common usage.
However, strictly speaking "saved" is past tense such that "shall be saved" is meaningless. It would imply that you have already been delivered from something which has yet to happen. Of course when Jesus died on the cross those who call on his name thereafter have salvation available, and although a person is saved from their PAST (Romans 3:25)  sins, they have yet to be "saved" from eternal damnation.

That's because of our belief in "conditional security". We are delivered from sin, but there is one sin to which we're still vulnerable. That's blaspheming against the Holy Ghost. That is denial of Jesus in irreligious and irreverent terms. That results when a Christian abandons Jesus. His faith has proceeded from "little faith" to "no faith".   Our denomination believes one can lose faith in Jesus. It's not because of discrete sins, but when the Christians quits calling upon the name of Jesus in daily life. He has stopped his "walk with Jesus" and Jesus has no consequence in his life.

In the Greek the word transliterated "saved" is sozo a contraction for saos which means literally "safe".

With that understanding "shall be saved" means better "will be safe". I make reference to the entire Book of Job as to what "safety" means. It's a hedge put around the righteous person to protect the righteous person from Satan. Satan can still persuade, but he cannot destroy! That's the safety net Job had and we have upon calling upon the name of the Lord!

"Will be safe" makes sense from a grammatical context because the future tense of "shall" agrees with the present tense of "safe" because one can be made safe this next instant.

Paul often referred to "the hope of salvation".  That is in the future. If we have the "hope of salvation" we are living "safely" because we have faith, which is hope that salvation will occur and that Jesus will do the saving! If we put on the whole armor of God we have a safety hedge around us and will be preserved until the time when God takes us to heaven... when we become ultimately saved. That is when the plane crashes, so to speak, and those who were on that flight are doomed forever.

Since some Christians don't wear the whole armor of God, Satan can go to fro and shoot barbs where there are chinks in the armor. There is a degree of safety for even weak Christians and full protection for those of great faith. Virginia has on the whole armor and is convinced that she will never endure damnation.  She has great faith and in her mind, she is SAVED although salvation has yet to happen. She has confidence that she WILL be saved. Again, that confidence is a good thing if one is wearing the whole armor, but some are not. It is said that they can deny Jesus and be "unsaved".  "Unsaved" can be used to describe those who have never been saved, but it's meaningless for a "saved" person to be "unsaved" for if that was true they could never have been saved!

You can BE unsaved, but can never GET unsaved. It contradicts "saved". However, we believe that one can abandon the faith. Faith is not one instant in time. It's hope and hope, implying confidence in Jesus and his promise, must be for a lifetime. It's stupid to believe that a person can get saved, get unsaved and get saved again. It contradicts salvation!

Paul likens the "hope of salvation" to a race with hurdles. We can trip on the hurdles and maybe fall. However, if we make it to the end we receive the prize.

Matthew 24:13 "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

We must endure. Endure what? Satan's barbs to take us from our adoptive parent and return to his fold! His desire is that we continue to trip over enough hurdles on the course until we fall and abandon Jesus, just as he tried with Job. What must we do until we are safely in God's arms? Have faith! Have hope! That describes "the hope of salvation"! That's what we have. Sure we're "born again" since we're given the opportunity for a second life and we accept the opportunity, but we're not saved until the plane crashes, so to speak. We are, however, made safe and with that safety we have great hope that we shall endure to get our entitlement!

In order for "conditional security" to make sense scripture must be taken in the context that we are "made safe" when we're born again. If we're "saved" when born again we could never fall. That isn't in agreement with scripture. We must be consistent in our belief system or suffer ridicule which we do! People laugh at we can get "unsaved" because that's what it seems to them we're saying!

1 Corinthians 9:24 "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain."

What is the prize? That reward is eternal life, being saved from eternal damnation. The prize is at the end of the race. To be eligible for the prize is running the entire race. When the obstacles are endured and the goal reached all those who finish the race get the same reward. They get saved from eternal damnation. Not until they endure the race (steadfast belief) do are they entitled to the prize!

Therefore, my argument is that when one is "born again" they have "the hope of salvation" just as Paul often said. Salvation comes at the instant of death when God takes our spirit to heaven.

However, using "shall be saved" in the context that one is "delivered from sin" is true because Jesus has already delivered on that promise. However, it excludes one sin: denying him - or blasphemy. In effect all our sins are covered and past sins forgiven, but the future sin of blasphemy steals our salvation if we abandon our hope. Either way, salvation is at the end of the race, not at the beginning!

Jesus could rightly say "You have been saved" because he knows the future. You, however, trust that you will be steadfast, but Satan struggles to destroy that trust. He even tried with Job who had great faith and was righteous. Satan knew that he was vulnerable and shot barbs at Job continually However, job had on the whole armor of God!

Please continue to say "I'm saved!" because that shows confidence in your faith. That's a good thing! However, don't take that as authorization to sin, because Satan compounds sin to the extent that one can lose faith. It's not possible to get unsaved, but people can lose their hope for salvation because of sin they just won't leave behind. Just ask Lot's wife about that whenever you get to where you're going!

Not Ashamed

Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.:

Paul was not ashamed to preach to the Jew nor the Greek (Gentile). He was not ashamed of the gospel, or "good news" about Christ. "News" implies "truth" because, unlike today, "spin" or deception was not "news"! Paul was called and was proud to spread the truth about Jesus!

"Ashamed" is basically "not wanting to be shamed".  It is feeling guilty because of a ones own beliefs or associations. The gospel of Christ is about beliefs and associations. Paul didn't feel guilty about either.

First off, there are two types of guilt. True guilt is when the Holy Spirit convicts a person of sin. It's a sinking depressed feeling caused by a behavior or thought. God would NEVER cause a person to feel guilty for teaching the gospel of Christ because gospel implies truth.

The other type is false guilt. It comes from Satan and is directed toward diminishing Jesus. For many people they are ashamed of the gospel of Christ! Satan makes them feel that way.

Being "ashamed" implies that people care about what others think about them. In effect Paul was saying "I'm going to preach to you about Jesus and I don't care what you think about me!" Truly, if Jesus is his Lord, then it's his Lord that he should care about most! Paul cared about what Jesus thought, not about people's thoughts.

When I was born-again I became a "secret Christian" for awhile. I didn't go to work and announced "I got saved!" as I should have. I was embarrassed, not of Jesus, but that others would ridicule me for getting religion. People do that because they are insecure they ridicule and undermine others. Satan uses ridicule to undermine Jesus.

Right now is election time. Many conservative Republicans favor Donald over Hillary. They remain quiet. Why? Because if they speak openly about Trump they will be ridiculed. Trump has many imperfections, but many many less than his opponent. Jesus had no imperfections, but many are still ashamed to speak openly for Jesus in fear of being ridiculed!

"Secret Christianity" is impossible.

Romans 10:9  "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

 The assumption here is that most people can speak. That's a valid assumption. It follows then that if you believe in your heart that God resurrected Jesus, you will tell others about this miracle! When we speak openly it is with confidence (faith) that we speak. It's about associations (God and Jesus) and beliefs (that Jesus is God and that he still lives).

People can't be secret Christians and "confess with their mouth"! Although salvation is by grace alone even righteous things are DONE because of God's grace in everything that we DO is because God allows it. It's essential that to be born again that people "believe in their heart" and go one step further: tell Jesus and others of your change in heart. You tell Jesus because he likes to hear it and you tell others because you now have hope and want everyone to have the same hope!

With the new Christian, called "babes in Christ" and some mature Christians, there is a battle going on inside. It's a battle between hope and shame. It feels good to know that someday you will be resurrected and live forever, but Christians are attacked viciously by Satan, especially at the time one first believes. Satan says to them "People will think that you are crazy and make fun of you!" Actually Satan is telling a partial truth. Some will,  but most won't!

If we look at the Jew and Greek of Paul's time, the Jews were the established religion in that area. Almost all Jews believed in God, but ridiculed Jesus.

If we look at the Greeks, they accepted many gods, but not God. Paul spoke to the Epicurean philosophers who lived for pleasure.  They would ridicule because Christians are taught to give up the pleasure for Christ's sake!

In this day and age some are ashamed to admit that they are born-again because most mainline religions have no concept of a new birth. Such religious people are like the Jews who ridiculed because they are in the dark. On the other hand the world ridicules Christians because we cease doing things that they deem pleasurable. As an example almost everyone today drinks alcohol to be sociable and to release inhibitions. I don't drink alcoholic beverages. I've been ridiculed when others say things like "That's sad!" or "It's stupid!" They are the Greeks of today!

Paul was not ashamed of Jesus, his resurrection, nor his own belief in Christ. Satan didn't intimidate Paul! As such Paul was the most vocal spokesman ever for Jesus Christ although he had previously been the most zealous persecutor of Christians! Guess what? We are called to be apostles just like Paul and that can't be done with tight lips. We cannot be secret Christians or Christians who fail to profess publically the name of Jesus!

There is no place for "ashamed" when we should be proud that Jesus saves! If people are truly born-again, they want to tell everyone about their new life. Being ashamed is looking back to what was and that's why Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt. God's new creation should be thankful and joyful.  Telling everyone about Jesus and your desire that they have the same hope is a demonstration of strong belief. Never ever be ashamed of the One who died for you!

Apostleship; Why it's crucial.

Romans 1:1 "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."

The introduction of Paul to the Roman church which he gives himself is more about Jesus than it is Paul. This brief introduction tells the purpose of Jesus and what Paul's mission is relative to Jesus.

Paul first calls himself "a servant".  The very act of serving is in imitation of Jesus Christ himself.

Matthew 20:27 (ESV) "...and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Here it is said by Jesus himself  who "came not to be served but to serve". How was it that Jesus served? He was the ultimate slave. He came "to give life as a ransom for many". Of course his desire is "that all be saved" (1 Timothy 2:4), but when Jesus said that, he was being pragmatic. He knew that most would reject him, but came to give everyone an opportunity. That includes the heathen gentiles, including the Romans!

Part of the age old "mystery of God" is that salvation had always been for all. It wasn't just a Jewish thing which they thought because they are God's chosen people. God's grace was offered to the Jew first. They got the gift of grace first,  but most of them rejected it. God knew they would so God's Plan all along was that salvation was for everyone!

Because we are to be Christ-like, that means many things: we are to be righteous, set apart from the world, steadfast, faithful, loving and a servant to others. Jesus' servitude was being the redemption of all mankind  (Matthew 20:27 above). We can't do that so we become "a slave" to others (ibid). Paul made another point: "separated unto the gospel of God". "The gospel" means "the good news" and that "good news" is that Jesus came to save us since we can't save ourselves.

If a person has not been "born-again" they have no hope. The "born again" experience, which is the necessary ingredient to be saved from eternal destruction, is the moment in time when a person realizes that no one can save themselves; but Jesus can. At that instant the person is enlightened. It's the time when a person quits depending on the god of self and places their confidence (faith) in Jesus Christ! It's the moment they see "the Light" and turn to Jesus for salvation.

Paul saw the Light when he was made blind. In absolute darkness only did he see the Light. It was the truth about Jesus which dawned on Paul. Although once he was set apart to persecute Christians because he failed to have Light, once he got the Light he was set apart to tell "the good news" about Jesus. The irony here is that the One who he once hated and persecuted, he now loved so much that his life was turned around. The old person Saul became the new person Paul as he was "born again"!

"Separation" (verse 1) is sanctification. Paul, as we are to be, was set apart. Of course "Set apart from what?" is the question to which the answer is "the world".  The born again person who has seen the light leaves this worldly kingdom and becomes a citizen of the kingdom of God. That's the gospel, or good news, from God. As new persons we are to live in a new kingdom. We are to be set apart from "the flesh" and submit ourselves a living sacrifice. We donate that self and become a servant to others in imitation of Jesus Christ who did that for us!

If Paul had failed to separate himself from what he was, his message would have been meaningless. However, many Christians tell the good news, but they don't believe it enough themselves to allow change from the old person to the new, from the world to the gospel wherein the "good news" exists!

Verse 2 says that this promise "the gospel", was foretold by the prophets in "holy scripture". That's what we call "The Old Testament". Scripture is all about Jesus from Genesis to Malachi. It tells the "good news" before the "good news" was ever born. That's imperative to understand because there are not two gospels, but one. "Old Testament" scripture is also "the good news". What was hidden before was made manifest. That was the mystery of God of which Paul has much to say later on!

"The gospel", the good news is all about God's Son Jesus Christ (verse 3). Jesus was in the beginning before he was made flesh. John the Baptist said that the one who came after him was before him. Jesus always WAS and being there always Jesus is I AM, God himself. Of course because no man had heretofore seen God and lived, Jesus was born in the flesh for two reasons: 1) that we can see God face to face and 2) to save us from eternal punishment! Not only was Jesus the Son of God, but he too was from the seed of David. In other words, he was and IS God and Man.

The importance that he IS the of the seed of David is critical in that he is totally human although he is completely God as well. He was tempted as we are tempted and felt what we feel. Because the Holy Spirit came UPON him and had not yet FILLED him, I believe that he faced the three temptations of the devil as others did when they received the Holy Spirit. In other words he faced temptation just as we would without any special provisions because he is God.

"The flesh" which he was made of, was just like ours although we were made in his image (how he was to be when he became incarnate).  The flesh is the medium of exchange between the world and the kingdom of God.  When Paul was separated from the world he controlled the flesh, but not on his own because the Comforter, or the Ghost of Jesus, had come to carry him.  The Holy Ghost is how we cheat Satan. Because Jesus faced Satan as man, we can face Satan with the Jesus' help because his Ghost is always with us!

It's important to distinguish between "Holy Spirit" and "Holy Ghost". Holy Spirit emanates from God and is his essence which was available to righteous people at all times. David had the Holy Spirit because God was with him! However, he didn't have the Holy Ghost because Jesus had not yet died. When Jesus ascended he immediately returned in spirit form. The spirit of a disembodied person is a "ghost". Actually, the Ghost of Jesus is with us now as he Comforts us as we battle the flesh. Paul had a great battle with his own flesh because he was, according to him, "a chief sinner".

In verse 4 Jesus is declared to be powerful. After all he defeated Satan did he not? When Satan was defeated Jesus had God's Spirit on him as protection from bodily harm, but like Job, Jesus could have chosen sin, but didn't. God put a hedge around Jesus, but it was the seed of David who chose God. Jesus stood with God, not under a forbidden tree. He had seen first hand the first Adam stand under the forbidden tree rather than The Tree of Life, and the second Adam (Jesus) chose right! The protection of God's Spirit was power to defeat Satan's going to and fro!

Because the Holy Spirit came down on Mary, Jesus is the Son of God. Because he is holy is from whence his power came. Jesus didn't need Satan to gain the power Satan tempted with because he already had the Spirit of God on him. He was endowed with power when he was baptized by John as the Spirit came upon him. The Son of Man was tempted, but he faced Satan not alone, but with God. That's how we face principalities of darkness as well. Paul faced them the same way!

Verse 4 speaks of "the resurrection from the dead". Being born again is when a person comes to see that one cannot resurrect oneself, that because God resurrected Jesus, resurrection into eternal life can only be through Jesus. He is the Way to eternal life! There is no other way. When a person comes to that conclusion and trusts that since God resurrected the Son of Man, Jesus, each of us can be resurrected as well. Verse 5 tells how we can be resurrected. It is by grace. That's a gift from Jesus (not a work). That's crucial because works implies that we can save ourselves! Remembering that we become born again when we realize that we can't do that, only Jesus can, then we must accept the gift and deny any credit on our part. That's essential to being born again. Most people can never get over themselves! Salvation is "getting over yourself" and making that god of self a servant to others and having trust in Jesus, not oneself.

Verse 5 says that we also have received apostleship. Apostleship is carrying the word of Jesus to others. Why would we do that? Because we love others, That's obedience. Apostleship is obedience to do what God tells us to do! What are we to do? Tell the world about Jesus. That's how we show love because we desire that no one shall perish, just as John 3:16 says that's how much Jesus loves us! Incidentally, tolerating others lifestyles is not how we show love. Love is shown by offending because suggesting that one is damned without Jesus is offensive to those who live in sin!

Matthew 10:34 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."

Paul's "Sword" as is ours is "the word of God". It offends! Paul didn't come to show tolerance to those who were unrighteous, but to condemn them. Did most hate him? They sure did because he offended there gods, all their "selfs"! The gospel is not about being tolerant. It's about obedience!

Verse 6 indicates that even the Romans were called to salvation. This is Paul revealing the mystery of God. Romans were ALWAYS part of God's Plan. He never had Plan A, B nor N. His plan from day one was Jesus dying for everyone and it was never by works, but by grace. It was faith which saved Noah and Abraham and is the same faith which saves us. Their faith was even greater because they believed in what would come about and we need only believe in what has happened. This is "the faith of Abraham" and his willingness to sacrifice his only son (a work) was recognized as faith. Faith without works is dead, according to James and Abraham's faith was manifested in works!

Romans were pagans, hedonists, and great sinners. Paul in verse 7 called them "beloved". Why" Because "God so loved the world!" That includes the Romans and that includes you and me! Why was Paul there? To give them the word so that the Comforter could call them to sainthood. Don't be confused here. We can never be saints on our own because saints still sin! However, because Jesus took our sins from us and paid the price it is Jesus who made us saints! As saints we should behave as saints by following his commands! That's how we show our love for him. Therefore, saints are those who love Jesus enough to be willing to allow change in themselves. That's our living sacrifice we are called to do! We allow God to circumcise our old hearts and give us new hearts, going from old persons to new persons - being born again!

Paul wraps up his introduction by crediting God and Jesus for their gift of salvation which is grace. Sure God gave his Son in our place, but Jesus, as the servant of ours, gave his own blood and life for us. He felt the sting of death for us so that we never need fear the sting of the second death!

The entire reason for Jesus is summed up in these few passages. Everything there is crucial. Then we see that because of God's grace, the grace we are to show, is both to serve God and our fellow man!

Many of us don't have a problem serving God; it's just others we have difficulty serving! However, how we serve God is by serving others! I don't experience being served by fellow Christians much myself. Some despise me! On the other hand I know I am not serving others as I must! It's not optional. God doesn't give us a choice. We are to mimic Jesus and be servants. We serve by loving. I miss that mark and God tells me that I do. I write this instant as a cheap way of loving others, but others don't see  it that way. The loved one must have a face and I write to faceless people.  I need to do better and so do you!

Gossip

My favorite expression on gossip is "I believe none of what I hear and only half of what I see!" That's a safe place to be because gossip is serious business.

Proverbs 16:28 "A froward (dishonest) man soweth strife: and a whisperer (gossiper)separateth chief (close) friends."

In any broken relationship there are stages. Of course "the blame" stage is where a person's defense mechanism and their strategy is to exonerate themselves from any guilt which may be there. The reaction is to play the "blame game". This is especially noticeable in politics because it's a carry-over from relationships.

The mechanism for bestowing blame is gossip. Seldom are friends confronted face-to-face, but the opponents credibility is gradually mowed down by innuendo,  assumptions, fact twisting, using events out of context and outright lying.  The gossiper may even come to believe his or her own lies because they must do so to protect their own integrity or to prevent other relationships from going sour!

Gossip is merely discussing private details about another person's life. It may be perception, partial truth (partial falsehoods), truth or outright lies. Normally it's exaggerations and taking things out of context to belittle another person! The strategy of the gossiper is to minimize the threat, but some people merely gossip for the fun of gossiping. Sinful people often take pleasure from the shortcomings of others. However, a major reason for gossiping is to make another person look bad and is a tool in the toolbox for protecting the self!

Christians are expected to live righteous lives, but we fail often by sinning just like the bad people which we condemn! However, Christians don't want to be known as bad people. Actually we disappoint ourselves when we fail. The feeling of self-deprecation is shameful and guilt ensues. We either confess our sins or rationalize them away. Blame and gossip is the latter. It's actually immature and childlike because that's where we first learned such behaviors and tactics! "It's not my fault that I took the cookie. It was right there. My parents should have not left them there!".

In adult-life we've seen that even with our president and first lady (sic). Bill had sex and lied about it. Hillary's response was "It's the fault of right wing conservatives!" However, she was forthright with her transference, but with gossip we do that under the radar so others don't even have the chance of protecting their own reputations, thus truth is seldom forthcoming!

One of the most common tactics, especially when truth is against one, is for that person to name-call. We see that often with liberals. When truth fails to support an idea and logic is in jeopardy, then the name-calling and cursing commences. Some people do this so flagrantly and often that the name-calling commences before the argument begins. Name-calling is a strategy in gossiping. "That person is a deviate. That woman is a slut. That man is a creep!" Gossipers seek to destroy the reputation of another person by creating a false picture. "Surely that "creep" can't be right!"

Gossip seldom elevates another person. Gossip is most often destructive. Christians have a "Marie Barone-type" way of destruction (Everybody Loves Raymond sit-com). Her method is to utterly destroy Debra while smiling and complimenting at the same time. It's a concealed put down. Just like Marie Barone, Christians use that technique often: "Bless her little heart, but she shows her butt to anybody Let's pray for her." This often used method seems to be loving (bless her little heart), but is condemning (she shows her butt), then the gossiper exonerates himself (or herself) by offering a prayer. It's the gossiper who needs the prayer!

Romans 1:28 (ESV)  ^"And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, (etc)"

Gossipers and slanderers (written gossip) are right there along with murder, evil, malice and many other debased mental attitudes, yet Christians seem to love to gossip!

Christian, if this is you, your tongue needs to be tamed, but to tame the tongue the mind must listen to what's supposed to be in the soul!

James 3:7 (ESV) "For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."

An untamed tongue is from uncircumcised hearts! One may claim to be a Christian, but gossiping gives away what lies within. It's nothing that Jesus can't fix, but before he does, one must be sorry for the gossip, repent and make restitution. Part of repentance is making things right with the one you have wronged! It's loving them as you would want to be loved. Love changes things! Love fixes gossip.