Day 51 "Live as One People in Mind and Spirit" (Romans: Chapter Fifteen)

We are almost at the end of the book of Romans. Hopefully, if you have traveled along these past fourteen days and have never really read through Romans before, your spiritual mindset may have been broadened and you have encounter a few paradigm shifts along the way. If I might summarize the journey in Romans for me, then I would say the following:

There is righteousness and power in the Gospel.

It is the Spirit that circumcises our hearts.

We are justified by faith, not by works.

God's promise was received through Abraham's faith.

There are many joyous benefits of grace.

Our old sinful nature was crucified with Christ.

In Christ, we are released from the law to live by the Spirit.

In Christ, there is no condemnation for us who believe.

Israel was unrighteous following the law. Gentiles were righteous by their faith.

We have complete righteousness in Christ.

If our salvation and righteousness is by grace, then it is no longer by works. The two cannot cohabitate the same space.

We are transformed inwardly by the spiritual renewal of our minds.

Love is the fulfillment of the law.

We are to live our lives by following the Spirit.

As we have changed on the inside, the fifteenth chapter of Romans now encourages us to be of one spirit with one another having the same mindset as Christ.

Verse 2: "Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."

Verse 6: "so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Verse 13: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Verse 14: "I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another."

Verse 18: "I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done."

Verse: 30 "I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me."

Key verses for me:

Verse 1: "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves."

Verse 5: "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,"

Verse 7: "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you."

Peter probably thought a little highly of himself when he asked Jesus how many times shall I forgive my brother and then stated, "Up to seven times." Seven times should be gratious enough, even commendable, don't you think? But Jesus quickly put Peter in his place, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." Here is a great example of the law (what is customary) and the spirit of the law (the heart of what the law was meant for). By the spirit of the law, I believe Jesus is telling us to forgive as we have been forgiven. Love as you have been loved. Extend grace as you have had grace extended to you. This is not about doing something to get something. This is about doing something because something has already been done for us. May our eyes be opened to all that Jesus accomplished for us upon the cross.

"Perfect love casts out all fear." 1 John 4:18

"We love because he first loved us.: 1 John 4:19

In our fear and anxiety as this Coronavirus intrudes into the comforts of our daily lives, may we also come to the acknowledgement of what we are hanging on to and fear losing in this life. Not that much of it is not important, but it is all temporary in nature. By faith, we are journeying forth to another reality- one that is eternal in nature. The anchor of this belief in your soul is what will lay the groundwork for peace and joy despite these terrible times. Paul learned to be content in his circumstances- not allowing his circumstances to direct his emotions. The only way that Paul could have done this was by maintaining an eternal perspective to everything he did.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold for that which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Jesus Christ."

Have this as your hope: the best is still yet to come!

I wish you well. But if you are not, I wish it still be well in your soul.

In his love... see you tomorrow...

"Carpe Momentum in love"