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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Foundations for Godly Living


Romans 16:25-27 "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, 26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen."

Introducing four foundations for Godly living
As you study Psalms 109-111 and Romans 16 together, you discover four foundations for Godly living: 
1. God's Sovereign Goodness
2. God's Inerrant Word
3. Blood Redemption 
4. The Spirit-led heart.  

Foundation #1 God's Sovereign Goodness
On the first read through of Psalm 109 and 110, it may appear that both are opposite, since the Psalmist is being oppressed by his enemies in 109 and seeing prophetic fulfillment in 110.  However, upon closer inspection, you discover God's Sovereign Goodness as preserving the writer in 109 and being the source of Psalm 110.  It is in Psalm 111 that you see such goodness praised, as well as see His Sovereign Goodness  closing out Romans 16.  

Foundation #2: God's Inerrant Word
By beginning with God's Sovereign Goodness as the first foundation for Godly living, we move onto the second: God's inerrant Word. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 states - "The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter." Psalm 109-111 makes direct or indirect reference to God's covenant to David in 2 Samuel 7:8-16.  The Loving kindness of God shown in that passage sustains the Psalmist in 109, enables the Psalmist to the see Christ reigning in 110 and causes him to praise God in Psalm 111.  

God's inerrant Word is the source of the Gospel of salvation spoken of in Romans 16:25.  If the Bible were not the inerrant Word of God, we could not trust it to relay accurately the Sovereign goodness of God, His dealings with men like David nor trust that the Gospel woven throughout its pages was of saving value.  Christian growth requires an inerrant Bible revealed from the Sovereignly Good God revealed in its pages.  

Foundation #3 Blood Redemption
The third foundation, blood redemption, is looked forward to Psalms 109-111 and spoken of in Romans 16.  Psalm 111:8 for example reminds us of God sending His redemption and Romans 16:25-26 states that the Gospel would not be possible without God having sent His Son.  Hebrews 12:2-3 underscores the priority of Christ's accomplished work for the Godly life: "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."  So in seeing those three foundations for Godly living: God's Sovereign goodness, Inerrant Bible and Blood redemption, lets look at the final foundation: Spirit-led heart.  

Foundation #4 Spirit-led heart
The Spirit-led or Spirit-filled life is what gives the basis for Christian experience following salvation.  The Holy Spirit is the One who led the Psalmist to write what He wrote under the unique grace of Divine inspiration.  The Holy Spirit enables the saints of God to have glowing testimonies like the ones mentioned in Romans 16.  You and I today enjoy the Spirit's ministry of illumination as He leads us into the scriptures and His ministry of sanctification that cleanses us to make us more like Jesus.  By the Spirit's leading we are becoming in experience whom God has declared us to be in position: children of God and co-heirs with Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:16-17)  These are the four foundations for Godly living.