Romans 1:17 The Righteous Shall Live by Faith (#LetterToTheRomans)

"The righteous shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17). When Martin Luther, the Reformer, read this verse before his conversion, he writes: "I did not love, yes, I hated the righteous God... I was angry with God." But after the Holy Spirit revealed to him its true meaning, he then said: "Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates!" What happened? #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #TheRighteousnessOfGod

To watch previous short studies of #LetterToTheRomans CLICK HERE  http://bit.ly/LegasiRomans 

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

Jesus says You must be Born Again

A symbol of born again

“After dark one evening, [Nicodemus] came to speak with Jesus. ‘Rabbi,’ he said, ‘we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.’ Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.’ ‘What do you mean?’ exclaimed Nicodemus. ‘How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?’ Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.’” (John 3:2-8, NLT)

This is one of the hard saying of Jesus. Nicodemus spoke as “we” and “us,” but Jesus looked him in the eyes and said, “Unless you’re born again.” Caught off guard, Nicodemus could only imagine one kind of birth – natural physical birth – the ludicrous picture of an adult receiving a second birth from his mother prompted Nicodemus’s question. Jesus replied was quite puzzling at first. He clarified by rephrasing and expanding his first statement. “Born again” was a new way to describe spiritual regeneration and conversion. “Born again” becomes “born of water and the Spirit.” Many see here a reference to baptism (in water) and baptism by the Spirit. But the immediate context supports the interpretation of physical birth and spiritual birth. The “again birth” follows the first birth that humans can produce. The change is so radical that it is equal in importance to our original birth. So, Jesus said, we shouldn’t be surprised by the standard: “You must be born again.”

Jesus equated “born again” with “born of the Spirit.” He was no longer speaking of the ultimate results of spiritual rebirth (citizenship in the Kingdom of God), but about how the Spirit works in someone’s life. The effects of God’s transforming power are like the evidence for the wind: You can hear it and see its effects, but you can’t see the wind itself. Now, we often explain our own conversion experience by focusing on what we did – prayed the prayer, raised the hand, knelt at the altar, wept in repentance – but those actions were a response to what God is doing.

Think about this: If you have experienced being born again, you have a story to tell. Whether that experience produced a radical shift in your life (like physical birth) or reflected more subtle and quiet changes (like the wind), life became different. This is what (real) conversion does – converts you to God’s way of thinking and living. Nicodemus had to question long held beliefs and re-examine his priorities. What has the Spirit been saying to you? How has the Holy Spirit produced spiritual life in you?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

C.S. Lewis on The Theology of Being Good

“[Anyone] is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17,ESV)

From C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity:

“Even the best Christian that ever lived is not acting on his own steam – he is only nourishing or protecting a life he could never have acquired by his own efforts. And that has practical consequences. As long as the natural life is in your body, it will do a lot towards repairing that body. Cut it, and up to a point it will heal, as a dead body would not. A live body is not one that never gets hurt, but one that can to some extent repair itself.

In the same way a Christian is not a man who never goes wrong, but a man who is enabled to repent and pick himself up and begin over again after each stumble – because the Christ-life is inside him, repairing him all the time, enabling him to repent (in some degree) the kind of voluntary death which Christ Himself carried out.

That is why the Christian is in a different position from other people who are trying to be good. They hope, by being good, to please God if there is one; or – if they think there is not – at least they hope to deserve approval from good men.

But the Christian think any good he does comes from the Christ-life inside him. He does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a greenhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Sunday Reflection on the Reason Luke 23:32-43 was Written



Paint by Kendall Beachey

“Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him [Jesus] to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left” (Luke 23:32, NIV).

Jesus was crucified between the two criminals. Right at the end of His earthly life He was still among sinners, the people He had come to save. Jesus was always like that. He hangs out in fellowship with the poor, the rich, the religious leaders, the shepherds, the fishermen, the tax collectors, the soldiers, the Jews and gentiles, children – all kinds of people – but especially, the sinners. Even now, He hangs out on the cross with criminals.

One of them asked Jesus to remember him when he came into His kingdom. He said: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (v.42). Like Zacchaeus and the others ‘unclean’ people in previous chapters, this criminal turned to Jesus in his hour of need.

He, I think, wasn’t sure precisely what he was asking – he needs help that’s all. He didn’t use theological language or jargons. He didn’t use prayer formulas. He didn’t take his guitar and begin to praise and worship. He has no time to think positive, doing yoga or use a set form of words. He simply knew that Jesus could help him. Right on the spot.

And one verse away, the forgiving God-incarnate, Jesus, dying on the cross, promised that the ex-criminal would be with him in paradise, that very day. “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise’” (v.43).

There were no conditions. This is not a cheap-grace-without-repentance teaching. The moment he called upon Jesus for help, he already changed his mind (repentance); knowing his need for savoir in his own sinfulness and receiving God’s grace and forgiveness. Jesus received the criminal as he was, and Jesus promised him more that he asked for (‘remember me’), more than he hoped for (‘today you will be with me’), and far more than he expected (‘be with me in paradise’).

Do you know what the implication of knowing
and understand this truth for you today?

It can happen to you too! Now!
It’s no different for anyone of us today.

“Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation”
(2 Corinthians 6:2).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Siri Kehidupan Kristian: Kelahiran Semula (i)

Yesus berkata kepada Nikodemus: “...kamu semua mesti dilahirkan semula!”
(Yohanes 3:7, BM)

Apa yang berlaku apabila seseorang telah dilahirkan semula? Ini ialah proses yang berlaku kepada mereka yang percaya kepada Kristus dan dilahirkan semula secara rohani oleh Roh Allah; Pertama, seseorang itu sedar akan dosa dia dan mengerti bahawa dia layak untuk menerima hukuman selamanya di neraka (hanya Roh Allah sahaja yang boleh membuatkan seseorang itu sedar akan hal ini). Selepas itu, dia menyesal dan bertaubat atas dosa dia, dan mengaku kepada Tuhan Allah bahawa dia ialah pendosa yang memerlukan Penyelamat. Seterusnya, dia menerima Yesus Kristus sebagai Tuhan dan Juruselamat, dan pada ketika itu dia dikatakan telah “dilahirkan [semula] oleh Roh Allah” (Yohanes 3:6, BM). Semua dosa dia telah diampuni. Dia menerima kehidupan kekal bersama Allah melalui Kristus.

Tetapi, itu hanya sebahagian kecil (walaupun tersangat penting) daripada kisah kehidupan orang Kristian – ia hanyalah satu permulaan. Kita belajar melalui firman Allah, Alkitab bahawa masih ada banyak lagi perkara yang hebat yang berlaku kepada orang yang telah diselamatkan oleh-Nya. Di sini ada 10 perkara penting yang berlaku kepada orang yang telah dilahirkan semula oleh Roh Allah:

1) Kita dikasihi oleh Allah kerana Yesus Kristus (Efesus 1:6)

Ini bermaksud Kristus hidup di dalam kita untuk melayakkan kita berdiri di hadapan-Nya dan “Dia menunjukkan kasihi-Nya kepada kita melalui Kristus Yesus” (Efesus 2:7). Allah melihat Kristus di dalam kita. Ini juga bermaksud orang Kristian layak menghadap Allah asalkan Kristus sentiasa ada... dan oleh kerana Kristus sentiasa ada kini dan selamanya, kita juga akan sentiasa layak bersama dengan Allah selamanya.

2) Kita menjadi Anak-anak Allah (1 Yohanes 1:12)

Pernahkah kamu membayangkan bahawa kamu ialah anak kepada orang-orang yang paling terkenal di dunia, contohnya Presiden Obama atau Bill Gates? [Saya pernah teringin menjadi anak kepada pastor John Piper]. Sekarang, sedarkan diri kamu bahawa kamu ialah anak-anak Allah, Pencipta langit dan bumi dan seluruh alam semesta. Sedar bahawa kita ialah anak-anak Allah dimana semua yang di syurga dan di bumi sujud menyembah-Nya! Awesome!

3) Kita dibenarkan oleh Kristus dihadapan Allah (Roma 5:1, 8:30-33)

Tuhan Allah, Hakim Semesta, akan berkata kepada bekas pendosa yang telah diampuni oleh-Nya, “Tidak Bersalah!” dan melihat dia sebagai seorang yang suci dihadapan-Nya. Dia tidak akan dihakimi kerana Kristus telah mati baginya dan Kristus telah menjalani setiap hukuman yang sepatutnya dia alami di kayu salib. Darah Kristus telah membenarkannya. Oleh itu, orang Kristian tetap kukuh berdiri dihadapan Allah dan tidak akan dihakimi oleh-Nya atas dosa-dosa yang dia pernah lakukan.

4) Kita akan menjadi tempat kediaman Roh Allah (1 Korintus 6:19)

Alkitab mengatakan bahawa “Allah telah mengurniai kita Roh-Nya, kita tahu bahawa kita hidup bersatu dengan Allah dan Allah hidup bersatu dengan kita” (1 Yohanes 4:13). Tubuh orang Kristian adalah tempat tinggal Roh Allah. Oleh sebab kita mempunyai keistimewaan ini, kita sebagai anak-anak Allah harus sentiasa memperhatikan percakapan, tingkah laku dan pemikiran walaupun di mana sahaja kita berada.

5) Kita semua menjadi satu tubuh dalam Kristus (1 Korintus 12:13)

Geraja Allah dikatakan tubuh Kristus. Semua orang yang (benar-benar) percaya dan beriman kepada-Nya adalah satu dalam tubuh Kristus – gereja-Nya. Tidak ada kelebihan yang hebat lagi daripada ini selain daripada menjadi salah satu anggota keluarga di dalam gereja Allah.

6) Kita menjadi ahli waris kepada setiap janji-janji Allah (Roma 8:17)

Tuhan Allah ialah pencipta semesta dan setiap yang ada adalah milik-Nya. Allah telah berjanji kepada umat-umat-Nya bahawa mereka akan memerintah bersama-sama dengan Kristus dan semua yang ada akan juga menjadi milik kita [namun begitu, firman Allah terlebih dahulu mengatakan bahawa ini semua akan ditunaikan sekiranya “kita [juga] menderita bersama-sama dengan Dia” (8:17) Penderitaan di dunia ini ialah sebahagian daripada cabaran kehidupan bagi orang yang percaya].

7) Kita menjadi umat-Nya yang kudus (Roma 1:7)

Dalam terjemahan bahasa inggeris mengatakan bahawa kita “called to be saints” (ESV) – dipanggil menjadi orang-orang kudus. Orang-orang kudus ialah orang yang telah dipanggil untuk Allah sendiri oleh Roh-Nya (Mazmur 4:3). Melalui pandangan Allah, setiap orang yang beriman, yang telah dilahirkan semula ialah orang-orang kudus kerana Dia melihat Kristus yang kudus hidup bersatu di dalam mereka.

8) Kita adalah sempurna dalam Kristus (Kolose 2:10)

Orang Kristian mempunyai kesempurnaan dihadapan Allah. Dia dekat kepada kita seperti Kristus dekat kepada-Nya. Apabila Kristus ada bersama kita, kita mempunyai segalanya untuk terus bersukacita di dalam-Nya dan mempunyai hidup kekal bersama-Nya kini dan selama-lamanya.

9) Kita akan memiliki sifat Allah sendiri (2 Petrus 1:4)

Kita akan perasan bahawa kini kita sudah mempunyai keinginan yang berbeza, harapan yang baru, cita-cita masa depan yang baru, kebencian terhadap dosa, dan kasih baru terhadap orang-orang Kristian yang lain. Apabila kita membenarkan Allah mengubah kehidupan kita dan sifat Allah terus dialami oleh kita, kita akan beransur-ansur menjadi seperti Yesus Kristus. Ini ialah rencana Tuhan Allah dalam setiap kehidupan anak-anak-Nya.

10) Kita akan sentiasa dijaga dan diperhatikan oleh Allah (Roma 8:28)

Tidak ada perkara yang baik dan/atau yang tidak baik yang berlaku kepada orang Kristian adalah diluar rencana Allah. Dalam erti kata lain, tidak ada “accidents” di dalam kehidupan kita. Segala perkara yang berlaku kepada anak-anak Allah akan “menghasilkan yang baik bagi orang yang mengasihi Dia” (Roma 8:28). Walaupun setiap percubaan, godaan dan disiplin dari Allah sekalipun – adalah baik untuk pertumbuhan rohani kita. Oleh itu, kita harus bersukacita atas kebenaran ini.

Semua di atas ialah perkara-perkara baik yang akan dan sudah pun berlaku kepada orang yang telah dilahirkan semula oleh Roh Allah. Semua ini ialah atas sebab kasih kurnia-Nya kepada kita – bukan disebabkan kebaikan atau pekerjaan kita, tetapi oleh iman kita kepada Kristus. Namun, kita harus ingat akan 2 perkara ini; 1) Kita harus terus menyembah dan memuji Tuhan Allah atas keselamatan yang Dia telah sediakan kepada kita melalui Anak-Nya, Yesus Kristus, dan 2) Kita harus menyerahkan segala kehidupan kita (ya, seluruh kehidupanmu!) kepada Dia yang telah mempersembahkan hidup-Nya kepada Bapa di kayu salib untuk kemuliaan-Nya sendiri dan untuk kita orang yang berdosa. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.