Bible Devotion

Day 1

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Romans 3:21–31

Paul has convincingly proved that all, Jews and Gentiles alike, have sinned and that the Law serves to make us aware of our unrighteousness. He will now clearly describe both the righteousness of God and justification by faith. This justification is the only way, that we, sinners, can satisfy His righteousness.

1. V. 21: In introducing “justification by faith”, Paul emphasizes two things in this opening verse.  What are they?  Do they not sound contradictory?  Why or why not?

2. Vv. 22-23: In asserting that the righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ, Paul gives us a further dimension about what sin is — i.e. it is falling short of the glory of God.  What does it mean to fall short of the glory of God?  Is it a definition of sin or simply a reality of sin or both?  Why?

3. Vv. 24-25a: Paul explains “justification by faith” and highlights the following:
a. It is free. How would you define something which is free?

b. It is the result of grace. How would you define grace?

c. It is a result of the redemptive work of Christ.
  1. The sacrifice for the redemption is  presented by God. Why is it significant that God presented this sacrifice?
  2. Christ is the sacrifice of the redemption. How does a sacrifice “atone” for something in the OT (See Lev. 16, and especially vv. 29-34)?
  3. Our faith is in (or by) His blood:  Why is His blood so important in atonement? (See Lev. 17:11)

4. Vv. 25b-26: Apart from explaining how we can be justified, Paul also seeks to vindicate God as being just:
a. What is meant by God’s forbearance of sins committed beforehand (see Acts 17:30 as well)?

b. How does justification by faith in Christ demonstrate His justice or righteousness?
5. Vv. 27-28:  How does justification by faith exclude all possibilities of boasting? (See Eph. 2:8-10 also.)

6. How different is the Biblical salvation through faith from other religions that you know of or formerly believed in?

7. Included among Paul’s target audiences are the Jews and Jewish Christians who are still zealous for the law. Paul  presents  “justification apart from the law” (3:21) as “justification by faith”.

How can “justification apart from the law”  in fact “uphold the law”? (i.e., how has such a justification already been made known by the Law and the Prophets (3:21)?)

8. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?


Meditative Reflection
The Forbearance of God

At least in two places in the Bible, we read about Paul’s assertion that God has “overlooked” man’s ignorance until the appearance of Christ (Acts 17:30) and that in His forbearance “He had left sins committed beforehand (i.e. before the appearance of Christ) unpunished” (Rom. 3:25).

In other words, God’s wrath had been withheld before the appearance of Christ on earth; otherwise, His full vengeance on the sins committed by humankind would have been unleashed.  Now, with the incarnation of His Son, Jesus Christ, God’s wrath had been unleashed, not on us, but on His Son.

Isaiah 53 vividly depicts the unleashing of wrath of God upon His Son: “He was pierced for our transgression…was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him…it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer.”  (Isa. 53:5, 10)

The prophet Malachi points out that the wrath of God is like a refiner’s fire and asks rhetorically, “But who can endure the day of His coming?  Who can stand when He appears?” (Mal. 3:2)

Indeed, no one can face the wrath of God, not even His Son, and perhaps that is why in the Garden of Gethsemane, in facing the wrath of God on our behalf, the Lord Jesus Christ had to pray,
“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me…” (Matt. 26:39). 
In the Old Testament, the “cup” often refers to the cup of wrath, and God’s wrath is such that not even the Son could face it on His own.

Though the wrath of God was poured on His Son, it will one day be poured on those who will  not believe in His Son, and upon the return of the Lord Jesus, they will have to face the full force of God’s wrath.

In the meantime, God’s forbearance continues, and as Paul reminds us, “now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Co. 6:2)  But such time is running out.  The only way to avoid the wrath of God is by being reconciled with Him through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  Are you prepared to face His return?

Day 2

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Romans 4:1–12

In answering the point he raises earlier in 3:21 (that this righteousness apart from the law is testified by the Law itself), Paul now cites Abraham (Gen. 15) and the Psalms as his proof:

Vv. 1-3:
1. Why do the Jews consider Abraham the most important of all among their forefathers?

2. Why do the Jews put so much emphasis on being Abraham’s descendants? (See Lk. 3:8, Jn. 8:33)

3. Paul quotes Genesis 15:6 to prove how Abraham was justified.
a. Go back to the incident in Genesis 15, and explain in your own words how 15:6 supports Paul’s argument of justification by faith and not by works.

b. What does being “credited it to him” as righteousness mean?
Vv. 4-8:
4. What does Paul call such a free credit in v. 4?

5. What kind of people does God justify according to Paul?

6. How do Psalm 32:1-2 and Psalm 103:10 prove Paul’s point?

Vv. 9-12:
As if he were hearing this Jewish audience object that whatever he quoted could only apply to the Jews and not to the Gentiles, Paul uses the all-important rite of circumcision to prove his point:

7. When did God command Abraham to circumcise his male descendants?  (If you do not quite know, scan the two chapters after God had credited him with righteousness.)

8. What function, according to Paul, did circumcision serve? (Rom. 4:11)

9. How similar, then, is baptism to circumcision?

10. What might the reaction be of those Jews or Jewish Christians upon reading this passage in which Paul calls Abraham both the father of the Jews and of the Gentiles?

11. Paul urges the Jews “to walk in the footsteps” of their father Abraham.  What is he referring to?

12. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?


Meditative Reflection
Our Father

It is customary for many churches to recite the Lord’s Prayer every Sunday as a liturgy during their worship service.  Perhaps many of us have been so used to reciting it every Sunday ever since we were a child, that we tend to take for granted how precious it is, and how amazing it is that we can call God, “Our Father Who art in Heaven.”

As we know from Genesis 17, no one who is uncircumcised could claim any share in the Abrahamic Covenant.  It is already quite amazing that Gentile proselytes to Judaism through circumcision could be entitled to all the covenant privileges, so it seems.  In essence, as F.F. Bruce points out:
“Even proselytes, who might have been regarded as Abraham’s children by adoption, were not permitted to call him, ‘our father’; in the synagogue liturgy they called the patriarchs, ‘your fathers’ when those who were Jews by birth referred to them as ‘our fathers.’”
Therefore, one can imagine how offended or alarmed some of the first audiences or readers of Romans were when Paul said Abraham “is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised…” (Rom. 4:11).

But Paul did not stop there, but went on to tell us that we, Gentile believers, can even call God, “Abba Father”  (Rom. 8:15).

That’s how unsettling and revolutionary the Book of Romans is.  Next time when we recite the Lord’s Prayer, or when in our private prayers we call God “our Father”, we should say so with an immense sense of gratitude.

Day 3

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Romans 4:13–25

1. How important is circumcision to the Jews, including Jewish Christians in Paul’s time? (See Acts 21:17-22.)

Vv. 13-16:  The Promise    

2. What is God’s original promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3?  How does this explain Paul’s assertion that the promise is “that he (presumably Abraham) would be heir of the world.” (4:13)

3. While Paul is obviously making a very strong case here, but to the Jews who are bent on justification by work (meaning the observance of the law), how would they refute Paul’s argument in v. 14?

4. And how does Paul (in v. 15) answer their likely refutation?

5. Logically, for this “promise” to be true, which is a surer guarantee — salvation by works (of law), or by grace (through faith)?

Vv. 17-25: The “credit” of righteousness explained:
Perhaps, Paul feels that the idea of being “credited with righteousness” is still a little confusing to the hearers, so he now expounds on this process as it applies to Abraham.

6. What was the major obstacle faced by Abraham at the time, in order this promise was to be fulfilled? (v. 19)

7. What kind of a God did Abraham have to trust in order for this obstacle to be overcome?  (v. 17)

8. Go back to Genesis 15:1-8 to appreciate the points raised by Paul that led to the crediting of righteousness to Abraham:
a.  Did Abraham not question God in Gen. 15:2? How then can Paul say that Abraham expressed his unwavering faith in God’s promise?

b.  After his questioning, how was his faith strengthened?

c.  How does Genesis 15:8 — his seeking of assurance of the promise of land — point to his strengthened faith in the promise of descendants?
9. How does the same process of “crediting of righteousness” work in our case?  How much surer is our righteousness because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?

10. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Meditative Reflection
Salvation by Work

As we know, virtually all religions apart from Christianity champion some kind of “salvation by works”. 

As I share the gospel with my Buddhist friends, their objections to this gospel of grace can be represented by these common responses:
-       No work, no reward:  Some would go so far as to say, “Even if your gospel is true, I refuse to receive anything I have not worked for.  This is my principle of life.”

-       Nothing is free in life: Some would also comment on this gospel of grace as being too cheap and too good to be true, and say, “If it is too good to be true, chances are it isn’t.”

-      How can all sins be forgiven? They normally cite some example of heinous crime and ask, “If such and such a person repents and believes in Jesus, are you saying that he can be forgiven?  I would not want to spend time in heaven with such a person!”
I think the first response has much to do with Confucian thought more so than Buddhism, and the response, in itself, is quite noble.  If Western society values such an approach to life, they would not be overtaxed with burdensome welfare. Also, to a certain extent, this has an air of Puritanism.

However, the Book of Romans has clearly demonstrated to us that “all”— Jews and Gentiles — are hopelessly sinful and are not able to do good.  Isaiah adds that as sinners, “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6).

The Puritans did champion ethical behaviors, but not as a means to gain righteousness, but to reflect our new life, being justified by faith.

We also can agree with the sentiment that nothing is free in this life.  By experience, we know that there is always a catch whenever something free is being offered in commercials.  Yet, we also know that there are things in life which are absolutely free — the air we breathe is a prime example and it comes from the goodness of God to sustain our life.  But God is even more concerned with sustaining our spiritual life, and this is why He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins.  His death was not cheap at all —it cost the life of God’s Only Begotten Son.  This is the expensive grace that God  offers us.

Indeed, there are always crimes that are so heinous that we find it hard to forgive the offenders, especially when we or our loved ones are victims of such crime.  It would be unkind of me to belittle the horror of these crimes.  The only thing we can do is to turn our eyes to the cross upon which hung the Most Holy God who bore the sins of the world — including yours and mine, and including those who committed the heinous crimes.  The wrath of God deserved by all such criminals has been poured upon His Son.  This is how complete His redemption is — His blood far outweighs any of our sins.  And in Him, everyone is a new creation, the old is gone and the new has come. (2 Co. 5:17) Even our hatred, even justifiable hatred, can be overcome in the love of Christ.

Day 4

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Romans 5:1–11

Now Paul has successfully encircled all into the universal “sinner circle”, and has demonstrated that law or no law, the only way to God’s righteousness is by grace through faith. Paul also shows that this is not a new idea, but it is a truth that has been testified to by the Law and Prophets. He then cites Abraham as the all-important example for such “justification by faith” (chapter 4).  This section now begins with “therefore”, signifying its results:

1. Do note that this small pericope begins with the verb “glory (καυχᾶσθαι)” in v. 2 and concludes with the same verb in v. 11. (The majority of English versions translate this word as “rejoice” with the emphasis on “joy”, a  nuance that is preferable  in this context.) Therefore, we who have been justified by faith should live a life marked by the habit of glorying in God, a confidence that carries a great joy through the reconciliatory work of Christ. Can you say that His joy is a reality of your life?  Why or why not?

2. Before talking about joy, the immediate result of this justification is “peace”.  Peace in the Bible has two aspects to it:  One being the wellness and wholeness within (the equivalent to the Hebrew shalom), and the other is the outward standing of having been reconciled to God, not being His enemies any more.

Both aspects, obviously, are the result of our justification:
a. Again, is “shalom” a reality in your life?  Why or why not?

b. How important to you is that outward peace, i.e. your having gained access to grace in which you stand (i.e. your peaceful standing with God)?
3. As you consider answering the earlier question about joy, what is the basis of our joy?  What is the basis of the joy that Paul describes?

4. While hope is the basis of our joy (even though I am not sure that it can be said for most of us), Paul insists that our joy extends from our hope even in sufferings.  What are the reasons given by Paul by which we can even rejoice in our sufferings?  Do they make sense to you?

5. In pointing out that our hope in sufferings will not disappoint us (or put us to shame), Paul reasons that it is because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us.  Why is it that God’s love so poured into our hearts can be the reason that we will not be put to shame?

6. Perhaps, sensing that such an assertion needs further clarification, Paul powerfully shows us how marvelous the love of God is when so poured into our hearts in vv. 6-8:
a. Do you agree with what he says about the righteous man and the good man?

b. In what way is God’s love far above human love?
7. Paul goes on to use two “how much more” phrases to help us understand the amazing, practical results of our justification in vv. 9-10.
He compares:
a. Being justified by Christ’s blood to being saved from God’s wrath.

b. Being reconciled with God as former enemies to being saved through Christ’s life.
How amazing is each of the above comparisons (italics, mine)?

8. Paul ends this pericope with returning to the theme of rejoicing as a result of our justification, and the rejoicing is “in God”.  How does the love of God, as described by Paul in vv. 6-8 cause you to be able to rejoice in God even in sufferings?

9. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Meditative Reflection
Rejoice in the Lord

As a new Christian, I took my walk with God very seriously, and I was determined to live a holy life.  One day, one of my superiors in the firm came to me and said, “Why do you look so serious all the time.  Do you know that you seldom smile?”

From that day onwards, I was also determined to live out the joy which comes from the new life in Christ.

I want to share with you the lyrics of the following song which has been such a help to me over the years as a Christian.

Rejoice in the Lord
Chorus
O Rejoice in the LORD
He makes no mistake,
He knoweth the end of each path that I take,
For when I am tried
And purified,
I shall come forth as gold.

1   
God never moves without purpose or plan
When trying His servant and molding a man.
Give thanks to the LORD though your testing seems long;
In darkness He giveth a song.

2   
I could not see through the shadows ahead;
So I looked at the cross of my Savior instead.
I bowed to the will of the Master that day;
Then peace came and tears fled away.

3   
Now I can see testing comes from above;
God strengthens His children and purges in love.
My Father knows best, and I trust in His care;
Through purging more fruit I will bear.
by Ron Hamilton

Day 5

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Romans 5:12–21

In order to understand this pericope, it is helpful to watch the literary tools that Paul employs which include:
-     The use of comparisons through “just as”, “so”, and “how much more”.

-     The use of repetitions, such as “reign” and “one man”.
Vv. 12-14:  The grave reality of sin

1. How did sin enter into the world?

2. How did death come about?

3. Did Moses and his law exist at the time?

4. Since the law was not present then, how was man’s sin reckoned?

5. How were the sins of those after Adam (but before Moses) reckoned?  (Paul makes it plain that those who sinned after Adam might not have committed his kind of sin, but nonetheless they were under the reign of death.)

6. How powerful is sin, as depicted?

7. As Paul describes sin as having been passed on from one person to another, what does it remind you of?  If I compare sin to a disease like SARS, would you agree? Which is more potent and deadlier?

Vv. 15-20: The greater reality of grace

8. Do you think Paul’s assertion in vv. 15-16 about the “how much more” of God’s grace is purely sentimental or does it have its reality?  Why or why not?

9. How would you describe the tyranny of death on any person?  How different is the picture painted by Paul for those who have received the gift of righteousness in v. 17?  What is its implication to you?

10. As much as we may not like the idea (and the fact) that we have been dragged into sin by one man, what about the idea (and the reality) that all could be made righteous by the act and obedience of one man, Jesus Christ? (See v. 18.)

11. What is meant by “where sin increased, grace increased all the more”?  Do Paul’s arguments above succeed in convincing you of this fact?

12. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?


Meditative Reflection
The Inheritance of Adam’s Sin

I have found Calvin’s quote from David Pareus (1548-1622) in his commentary on the subject quite helpful:
“There are three things which are to be considered in Adam’s sin — the sinful act, the penalty of the law, and the depravity of nature; or in other words, the transgression of the command, the punishment of death, and natural corruption, which was the loss of God’s image, and in its stead came deformity and disorder.  From none of these his posterity are free, but all these have descended to them; there is a participation of the transgression, an imputation of guilt, and the propagation of natural depravity.  There is a participation of the sin; for all his posterity were seminally in his loins, so that all sinned in his sin, as Levi paid tithes in the loins of Abraham; and as children are a part of their parents, so children are in a manner, partakers of their parents’ sin.  There is also an imputation of guilt; for the first man so stood in favor, that when he sinned, not only he, but also all his posterity fell with him, and became with him subject to eternal death.  And lastly, there is the propagation or the generation of a dreadful deformity of nature; for such as Adam became after the fall, such were the children he begat, being after his own image, and not after the image of God.  Gen. v.1…All these things, as to the first sin, apply to the parent and also to the children, with only this difference — that Adam sinning first transgressed, first contracted guilt, and first depraved his nature — and that all these things belong to his posterity by participation, imputation, and propagation.”

(John Calvin, Romans, 201)

Day 6

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Romans 6:1–11

In praising the greatness of the grace in Christ Jesus, Paul makes a point in the last chapter that “where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (5:20). He understands that such a statement would (and likely has) invite criticism and abuse. So, he provides his defense in this chapter.

1. In emphatically answering, “No”, Paul asks a very passionate rhetorical question in v. 2: “We are those who have died to sin, how can we live in it any longer?”  In our justification by faith, we know we have made a commitment to renounce sin (which has separated us from God, brought upon us eternal death, and for which Christ has died). Have you considered yourself having died to sin at the same time?    
Why or why not?

[It appears that not all of his hearers have the same recognition, but they all have been baptized. This was common in Paul’s day for believers were baptized immediately upon conversion.]

2. Using the procedures likely being used for baptism in those days (immersion) where “water is present” (Acts 8:38-39), Paul makes his first point about the meaning of baptism.  Paul considers the “burying” in to the water as being buried with Christ into His death. 
a. What is meant by “the death He died, He died to sin once for all” in v. 10?

b. What has Christ’s death on the cross accomplished, as far as we are concerned?

c. In what way then have we been united with Him in His death and what are the implications according to vv. 6-7?

d. How does baptism portray this reality?
3. What has Christ’s resurrection from the death accomplished for us?

4. In what way have we been united with Him in His resurrection?

5. What are the implications of such a union with Christ in His resurrection?

6. How does baptism portray this reality?

7. Can one be united with Christ in His resurrection without first being united with Him in His death?

8. In v. 11, Paul admonishes us in a practical sense that we should “count” ourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  What does the use of the word “count” mean to you?  How may you apply it in your life?

9. If you have yet to be baptized, what reason can you give for not so doing, as all of the early Christians did immediately upon their conversion?

10. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Meditative Reflection
To be Baptized or Not to be Baptized

As our Lord Jesus severely attacks the Pharisees on their outward religion and hypocrisy and often points out their futility of keeping rituals and human traditions, He has given us, nonetheless, two ordinances to observe.  One is the Lord’s Supper and the other is baptism.  As a result, these two must carry a very important significance and are very dear to His heart. 

As we know, throughout the books of the New Testament, apart from the four Gospels, new believers appear to be baptized immediately upon their conversion.  I am sure part of the reason is that they do recognized this as a command from the Lord Himself.  On the other hand, there is also a very practical side to their immediate baptism.

In most cases, being a follower of Christ was not a matter to be taken lightly, especially in those early days.  Persecution was part of the acknowledgement of being a Christian. Therefore, a public act of baptism was a sure sign that the repentance and belief of the one baptized would be genuine.  No one in his right mind would willingly invite hardship to his life by publicly confessing his faith in Christ, if it was not genuine.

In other words, there could hardly be an “unbaptized” Christian during the time of the New Testament.

This brings me to one of the phenomena that bothers me greatly as a pastor.  There are many “unbaptized” Christians in the church today.  If in the New Testament time, there were no “unbaptized” Christians, why should there be any today?

Day 7

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Romans 6:12–23

Paul now exhorts us how to live as one dead to sin and alive in Christ:

1. Using the imagery of an instrument/weapon, “hópla" can have the general meaning “instruments” but Pauline usage suggests the more specific military meaning “weapons” (Moo, Romans, 384).  Paul, in v. 13, admonishes us not to offer any part of ourselves as a weapon of wickedness, but rather offer our every part as a weapon of righteousness.
a. If Paul means “instrument”, what does it say to you?

b. If Paul means “weapon”, what does it say to you?

c. As much as there might be a difference in nuance, what might be the common theme between the two?

d. What does “offer” mean in either case?
2. What is a slave?

3. Do you agree that “you are slaves of the one you obey”? (6:16)

4. Recount your life before your conversion. Does it resemble what Paul describes in v. 19?

5. Examine your life today:
a. Who then are you obeying these days?

b. Does it resemble what Paul describes in vv. 17-18?
6. How can you convince a non-believer that he or she is a slave to either sin or obedience (according to v. 16), but also that they do have a choice of who their master is?

7. How can vv. 20-23 help them to make a choice for Christ?

8. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Meditative Reflection
Is Justification by Faith Dangerous?

Historically, one of the biggest objections to justification by faith apart from the law (and work) has been the accusation that such a notion will give license to believers to sin, because presumably you can always repent and seek forgiveness and then sin again.

In fact, there was a notorious sect in Russia, called the Khlysty (flagellants) of which the evil genius, Gregory Rasputin, was allegedly an adherent.  “Rasputin taught and exemplified the doctrine of salvation through repeated experiences of sin and repentance.  He held that, as those who sin most require most forgiveness, a sinner who continues to sin with abandon enjoys, each time he repents, more of God’s forgiving grace than any ordinary sinner.”  (Bruce, Romans, 127)

No wonder many prefer to associate work with salvation and, in fact, to impose work as a condition of salvation.  Presumably this was the preference of many Jewish Christians in Paul’s days.  But Paul would have none of that. As he puts it in Romans 3:3-4, our unfaithfulness cannot nullify the faithfulness of God nor can our lies the truthfulness of God. As he reiterates in 4:14, if we insist on justification by the works of law, “faith has no value and the promise (of God) is worthless.”

I think, in our sincere search to understand the truth of God, it is helpful to be reminded that we can never be holier than God, more merciful than God, nor wiser than God.  His way is always the best way.

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