We have made it through the first five weeks covering The Crucial Points of the Truth in Romans. As we previously wrote , in the first meeting we enjoyed a bird's-eye view of 21 crucial points of the truth revealed in the book of Romans. See the August 27, 2009 report for the details and a copy of the handout with all the points.

On September 3, 2009 we enjoyed a wonderful truth - in His resurrection, Jesus Christ was designated to be the Son of God!

But wait! Wasn't Jesus Christ always the Son of God? Why then does it say in Romans 1:3-4:

"Concerning His Son, who came out of the seed of David according to the flesh, Who was designated the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness out of the resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord."

On September 10, 2009, we continued on the line of Jesus Christ designated to be the Son of God with a consideration of the difference between Jesus Christ as the only-begotten Son of God and Jesus Christ as the first-born Son of God. Have you ever considered that? And if Jesus Christ is the first-born Son of God, what does that make us? - The many sons of God! Hallelujah! 1 Peter 1:13 says

When Jesus as the Son of Man through death and resurrection was born to be the firstborn Son of God, the millions of God’s chosen people were born in the same birth. You can get this outline below, as well.

On September 17, 2009, we enjoyed that the righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel (Romans 1:16-17). John 3:16 says that because God loved us, He gave His only begotten Son so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. This verse indicates that God saves us because He loves us. Furthermore, in Ephesians 2:5 and 8 we are told that we are saved by grace. The book of Romans, however, reveals that we are saved not by grace nor by love, but by righteousness. Neither love nor grace is a legal matter. You cannot claim that, according to law, a person is required to love you or to show grace to you. Only with those things which are related to righteousness do we have the position to claim something in a legal way.

Both love and grace may change, but righteousness is solid and steadfast. God is free either to love us or not to love us. However, He is bound by His righteousness. Now that Christ has died to fulfill God’s righteous requirements, God has put Himself into a position where He is legally bound. Whether He loves us or not, He is bound by His own righteousness to forgive us. Thus, the foundation of our salvation is righteousness, not love or grace. Psalm 89:14 says,

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy throne” (Heb.).

The very foundation of God’s throne is also the foundation of our salvation. Can the foundation of God’s throne be shaken? Certainly not. Likewise, the foundation of our salvation cannot be shaken, for this foundation is not love nor grace, but righteousness.

To read more, get the handout for this meeting below.

Lastly, on September 24, 2009, we saw that man is without excuse when it comes to believing in God. The power and divine characteristics of God are declared to the universe by all of creation (Romans 1:18-20). The Bible tells us in Isaiah 4:22

“It is He [God] who sits above the circle of the earth,... / Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, / And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in”

and in Job 26:7

“He [God] stretches out the north over the void; / He hangs the earth upon nothing.”

Psalm 33:9 continues

“For He spoke, and it was; / He commanded, and it stood”

and Hebrews 1:3  tells us

“Who…upholding and bearing all things by the word of His power.”

All these verses declare the power of God. Furthermore, all creation declares the many wonderful characteristics of God. Gaze at the heavens and view God's glory, His grandness and majesty. Ponder a garden or your own back yard and see the beauty and life of God, because God is beautiful and God is life. Consider the arrangement of the stars, the planets, their orbits and all of science and be deeply impressed with God's orderliness.

The characteristics of God’s nature, referred to in Romans 1:20, can be verified through the created things; however, the created things cannot manifest the Godhead and person. Only the living person of Jesus Christ, the Word who is God and who declares God (John 1:1, 18), can express God’s Godhead and person, that is, the very God, God Himself.

To read more, be sure to get the handout from the meeting.

We hope you will join us for our next meeting on October 8, 2009.

Attachments:

File	Description
The Designation of Jesus Christ to be the Son of God - Part 1.pdf
The Designation of Jesus Christ to be the Son of God - Part 2.pdf
THE POWER AND CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD.pdf
The righteousness of God revealed in the gospel.pdf