1 Corinthians 1

1 Corinthians 1:1

Pride Goes Before Destruction

Romans 11:18. We Christians are now the bearers of the testimony that God gives of Himself in this world. Israel has been put aside. There is a danger for us Christians to boast in the place God has given us. It is easy to feel we are better than Israel. Well, if you have some idea of the testimony that Christians give in the world, it wouldn’t even enter your mind to boast. Just think of countries where civil wars were and are fought between militant groups under outwardly-Christian religious names.

God in His grace gave this testimony to us instead of Israel. It’s only in this way that we have acquired the blessings which God wanted to give to His people. We, heathen by nature, had no right to anything. Remember, we don’t support the root, but the root is supporting us. God put unbelieving Israel aside and we have come in its place.

Romans 11:19-20. But remember why Israel was put aside. They lost this place on earth because of their unbelief. They rejected God and His Son. It’s not because we are better that we have taken their place. Yet, to be able to keep this place, we must remain standing in the truth of faith. Here faith is not our personal trust of faith. Here it’s not that we believe, but what we believe. To be maintained by God as His testimony on earth, Christianity must have an undiminished adherence to the Bible because therein is the truth of faith.

Romans 11:21-22. Now comes Paul’s warning for us not to be proud. Christianity as a whole shouldn’t think that God will maintain it. If they don’t fear Him, they will share in Israel’s fate. From other portions of Scripture, it is clear that professing Christianity as a whole also will become unfaithful and God will have to cut it off. This increasing unfaithfulness is already visible. In many denominations, doctrines are proclaimed about the work and Person of the Lord Jesus that are not scriptural.

More and more, Christendom is presented as a religion that is equal to other world religions. This hides the great difference between all other religions and Christendom. Christendom is the only religion to offer the solution for a lost man to become clean before God. This can only come through the Lord Jesus Who said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). This excludes every other possibility. The Lord Jesus is not merely one possibility among others. Christianity also is used to further political causes. The testimony of Who God is and Who the Lord Jesus is has been obscured by all this.

Man has been placed on earth to serve God. In the Bible the Christian has been given principles to know how to do this. It’s only by faith in the Lord Jesus and His completed work that he is able to do this. But faith is more and more evolving into something hollowed out. Professing Christianity has already given up the greater part of the truth of faith and will continue to do so until the complete giving up of the Christian faith will be the eventual result. Professing Christianity will not keep standing in the faith. This is what God’s Word teaches us.

So is it going wrong with you and me after all? In case this disturbs you, I will say something about it in the next section.

Now read Romans 11:18-22 again.

Reflection: What is the meaning of: ‘Be not haughty, but fear’ in Romans 11:20?

1 Corinthians 1:2

Pride Goes Before Destruction

Romans 11:18. We Christians are now the bearers of the testimony that God gives of Himself in this world. Israel has been put aside. There is a danger for us Christians to boast in the place God has given us. It is easy to feel we are better than Israel. Well, if you have some idea of the testimony that Christians give in the world, it wouldn’t even enter your mind to boast. Just think of countries where civil wars were and are fought between militant groups under outwardly-Christian religious names.

God in His grace gave this testimony to us instead of Israel. It’s only in this way that we have acquired the blessings which God wanted to give to His people. We, heathen by nature, had no right to anything. Remember, we don’t support the root, but the root is supporting us. God put unbelieving Israel aside and we have come in its place.

Romans 11:19-20. But remember why Israel was put aside. They lost this place on earth because of their unbelief. They rejected God and His Son. It’s not because we are better that we have taken their place. Yet, to be able to keep this place, we must remain standing in the truth of faith. Here faith is not our personal trust of faith. Here it’s not that we believe, but what we believe. To be maintained by God as His testimony on earth, Christianity must have an undiminished adherence to the Bible because therein is the truth of faith.

Romans 11:21-22. Now comes Paul’s warning for us not to be proud. Christianity as a whole shouldn’t think that God will maintain it. If they don’t fear Him, they will share in Israel’s fate. From other portions of Scripture, it is clear that professing Christianity as a whole also will become unfaithful and God will have to cut it off. This increasing unfaithfulness is already visible. In many denominations, doctrines are proclaimed about the work and Person of the Lord Jesus that are not scriptural.

More and more, Christendom is presented as a religion that is equal to other world religions. This hides the great difference between all other religions and Christendom. Christendom is the only religion to offer the solution for a lost man to become clean before God. This can only come through the Lord Jesus Who said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). This excludes every other possibility. The Lord Jesus is not merely one possibility among others. Christianity also is used to further political causes. The testimony of Who God is and Who the Lord Jesus is has been obscured by all this.

Man has been placed on earth to serve God. In the Bible the Christian has been given principles to know how to do this. It’s only by faith in the Lord Jesus and His completed work that he is able to do this. But faith is more and more evolving into something hollowed out. Professing Christianity has already given up the greater part of the truth of faith and will continue to do so until the complete giving up of the Christian faith will be the eventual result. Professing Christianity will not keep standing in the faith. This is what God’s Word teaches us.

So is it going wrong with you and me after all? In case this disturbs you, I will say something about it in the next section.

Now read Romans 11:18-22 again.

Reflection: What is the meaning of: ‘Be not haughty, but fear’ in Romans 11:20?

1 Corinthians 1:3

Pride Goes Before Destruction

Romans 11:18. We Christians are now the bearers of the testimony that God gives of Himself in this world. Israel has been put aside. There is a danger for us Christians to boast in the place God has given us. It is easy to feel we are better than Israel. Well, if you have some idea of the testimony that Christians give in the world, it wouldn’t even enter your mind to boast. Just think of countries where civil wars were and are fought between militant groups under outwardly-Christian religious names.

God in His grace gave this testimony to us instead of Israel. It’s only in this way that we have acquired the blessings which God wanted to give to His people. We, heathen by nature, had no right to anything. Remember, we don’t support the root, but the root is supporting us. God put unbelieving Israel aside and we have come in its place.

Romans 11:19-20. But remember why Israel was put aside. They lost this place on earth because of their unbelief. They rejected God and His Son. It’s not because we are better that we have taken their place. Yet, to be able to keep this place, we must remain standing in the truth of faith. Here faith is not our personal trust of faith. Here it’s not that we believe, but what we believe. To be maintained by God as His testimony on earth, Christianity must have an undiminished adherence to the Bible because therein is the truth of faith.

Romans 11:21-22. Now comes Paul’s warning for us not to be proud. Christianity as a whole shouldn’t think that God will maintain it. If they don’t fear Him, they will share in Israel’s fate. From other portions of Scripture, it is clear that professing Christianity as a whole also will become unfaithful and God will have to cut it off. This increasing unfaithfulness is already visible. In many denominations, doctrines are proclaimed about the work and Person of the Lord Jesus that are not scriptural.

More and more, Christendom is presented as a religion that is equal to other world religions. This hides the great difference between all other religions and Christendom. Christendom is the only religion to offer the solution for a lost man to become clean before God. This can only come through the Lord Jesus Who said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). This excludes every other possibility. The Lord Jesus is not merely one possibility among others. Christianity also is used to further political causes. The testimony of Who God is and Who the Lord Jesus is has been obscured by all this.

Man has been placed on earth to serve God. In the Bible the Christian has been given principles to know how to do this. It’s only by faith in the Lord Jesus and His completed work that he is able to do this. But faith is more and more evolving into something hollowed out. Professing Christianity has already given up the greater part of the truth of faith and will continue to do so until the complete giving up of the Christian faith will be the eventual result. Professing Christianity will not keep standing in the faith. This is what God’s Word teaches us.

So is it going wrong with you and me after all? In case this disturbs you, I will say something about it in the next section.

Now read Romans 11:18-22 again.

Reflection: What is the meaning of: ‘Be not haughty, but fear’ in Romans 11:20?

1 Corinthians 1:4

Pride Goes Before Destruction

Romans 11:18. We Christians are now the bearers of the testimony that God gives of Himself in this world. Israel has been put aside. There is a danger for us Christians to boast in the place God has given us. It is easy to feel we are better than Israel. Well, if you have some idea of the testimony that Christians give in the world, it wouldn’t even enter your mind to boast. Just think of countries where civil wars were and are fought between militant groups under outwardly-Christian religious names.

God in His grace gave this testimony to us instead of Israel. It’s only in this way that we have acquired the blessings which God wanted to give to His people. We, heathen by nature, had no right to anything. Remember, we don’t support the root, but the root is supporting us. God put unbelieving Israel aside and we have come in its place.

Romans 11:19-20. But remember why Israel was put aside. They lost this place on earth because of their unbelief. They rejected God and His Son. It’s not because we are better that we have taken their place. Yet, to be able to keep this place, we must remain standing in the truth of faith. Here faith is not our personal trust of faith. Here it’s not that we believe, but what we believe. To be maintained by God as His testimony on earth, Christianity must have an undiminished adherence to the Bible because therein is the truth of faith.

Romans 11:21-22. Now comes Paul’s warning for us not to be proud. Christianity as a whole shouldn’t think that God will maintain it. If they don’t fear Him, they will share in Israel’s fate. From other portions of Scripture, it is clear that professing Christianity as a whole also will become unfaithful and God will have to cut it off. This increasing unfaithfulness is already visible. In many denominations, doctrines are proclaimed about the work and Person of the Lord Jesus that are not scriptural.

More and more, Christendom is presented as a religion that is equal to other world religions. This hides the great difference between all other religions and Christendom. Christendom is the only religion to offer the solution for a lost man to become clean before God. This can only come through the Lord Jesus Who said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). This excludes every other possibility. The Lord Jesus is not merely one possibility among others. Christianity also is used to further political causes. The testimony of Who God is and Who the Lord Jesus is has been obscured by all this.

Man has been placed on earth to serve God. In the Bible the Christian has been given principles to know how to do this. It’s only by faith in the Lord Jesus and His completed work that he is able to do this. But faith is more and more evolving into something hollowed out. Professing Christianity has already given up the greater part of the truth of faith and will continue to do so until the complete giving up of the Christian faith will be the eventual result. Professing Christianity will not keep standing in the faith. This is what God’s Word teaches us.

So is it going wrong with you and me after all? In case this disturbs you, I will say something about it in the next section.

Now read Romans 11:18-22 again.

Reflection: What is the meaning of: ‘Be not haughty, but fear’ in Romans 11:20?

1 Corinthians 1:5

All Israel Will Be Saved

I concluded the previous section by asking if it is going wrong with you and me after all. Can we conclude this from Romans 11:22, even though we believe in the Lord Jesus? The Lord Jesus gives the answer in John 10: “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). One who is a child of God will remain so forever. Unfortunately, you may on occasions behave unlike a child of God. This has to do with your personal responsibility. If you sin as a child of God, you must confess it.

In this current portion we see the responsibility of the Christian testimony that has taken Israel’s place. If this testimony as a whole becomes unfaithful, God cannot maintain it anymore than He could maintain Israel’s. With Israel some Israelites had a personal relationship with God, but in general Israel consisted of people who didn’t want God.

The same is true for professing Christianity. Some who call themselves Christians have a relationship with God on the basis of a personal faith, but in general in professing Christianity, emphasis is increasingly being placed on what man wants rather than true faith. God’s thoughts are not sought after. The Bible is left unread. As a result God can no longer recognize Christianity as His testimony on earth, so He will have to judge it. So you have to distinguish between one’s proper, personal responsibility before God and what God expects from Christianity as a whole. I hope this has helped to make the distinction clearer.

Romans 11:23-25. Now on to Romans 11:23. In this verse Paul says that Israel will again take the place of God’s testimony on earth. This is what he calls a “mystery” (Romans 11:25). A mystery in the Bible is something that was unknown in the Old Testament, but is now made known. This mystery concerns the rejection and acceptance of Israel, including the current time when God has accepted another people for His name. In the Old Testament this wasn’t known.

To avoid being wise in your own opinion, you must realize the hardening or blinding that has come over Israel has not come over all Israel, but only over part of it – the mass of unbelieving Israelites – which leaves room for a remnant.

Romans 11:26. This remnant eventually will be all of Israel because all the ungodly and unbelieving Israelites will perish by God’s judgment during the tribulation. What remains will be “all Israel”. God will go on with this new Israel after the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). This last expression means that the Christian testimony on earth will have completed the time of its testimony and reached its end. God will cut it off because it didn’t abide in God’s kindness (see Romans 11:22). After this, Israel will again be the object of His love.

The Redeemer or Deliverer will come out of Zion to deliver His people from the enemies who want to destroy them. Many Old Testament prophecies tell how this will happen.

Romans 11:27. They also will receive the assurance that God will fulfill the covenant He made with His people by taking away their sins from them. It is necessary to be free from the burden of sins to really enjoy God’s blessings. The huge burden weighing on the people will be their rejection of the Lord Jesus. They will confess Him as Lord, and God will forgive them. Zechariah 12-14 tells how all this will take place.

Romans 11:28-29. God will execute His plans with respect to His earthly people. He will do what He has promised; He will not revoke it. Israel now behaves with hostility toward the preaching of the gospel, but as to election God loves them because they are descendants of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were the ones to whom God gave His promises. As a result of the people’s unfaithfulness, the fulfillment of the promises had to be put off. But with God, delays are no problem. He doesn’t revoke His promises. He doesn’t change His mind regarding what He has promised to His people and to which He has called them.

Now read Romans 11:23-29 again.

Reflection: What is a mystery?

1 Corinthians 1:6

All Israel Will Be Saved

I concluded the previous section by asking if it is going wrong with you and me after all. Can we conclude this from Romans 11:22, even though we believe in the Lord Jesus? The Lord Jesus gives the answer in John 10: “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). One who is a child of God will remain so forever. Unfortunately, you may on occasions behave unlike a child of God. This has to do with your personal responsibility. If you sin as a child of God, you must confess it.

In this current portion we see the responsibility of the Christian testimony that has taken Israel’s place. If this testimony as a whole becomes unfaithful, God cannot maintain it anymore than He could maintain Israel’s. With Israel some Israelites had a personal relationship with God, but in general Israel consisted of people who didn’t want God.

The same is true for professing Christianity. Some who call themselves Christians have a relationship with God on the basis of a personal faith, but in general in professing Christianity, emphasis is increasingly being placed on what man wants rather than true faith. God’s thoughts are not sought after. The Bible is left unread. As a result God can no longer recognize Christianity as His testimony on earth, so He will have to judge it. So you have to distinguish between one’s proper, personal responsibility before God and what God expects from Christianity as a whole. I hope this has helped to make the distinction clearer.

Romans 11:23-25. Now on to Romans 11:23. In this verse Paul says that Israel will again take the place of God’s testimony on earth. This is what he calls a “mystery” (Romans 11:25). A mystery in the Bible is something that was unknown in the Old Testament, but is now made known. This mystery concerns the rejection and acceptance of Israel, including the current time when God has accepted another people for His name. In the Old Testament this wasn’t known.

To avoid being wise in your own opinion, you must realize the hardening or blinding that has come over Israel has not come over all Israel, but only over part of it – the mass of unbelieving Israelites – which leaves room for a remnant.

Romans 11:26. This remnant eventually will be all of Israel because all the ungodly and unbelieving Israelites will perish by God’s judgment during the tribulation. What remains will be “all Israel”. God will go on with this new Israel after the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). This last expression means that the Christian testimony on earth will have completed the time of its testimony and reached its end. God will cut it off because it didn’t abide in God’s kindness (see Romans 11:22). After this, Israel will again be the object of His love.

The Redeemer or Deliverer will come out of Zion to deliver His people from the enemies who want to destroy them. Many Old Testament prophecies tell how this will happen.

Romans 11:27. They also will receive the assurance that God will fulfill the covenant He made with His people by taking away their sins from them. It is necessary to be free from the burden of sins to really enjoy God’s blessings. The huge burden weighing on the people will be their rejection of the Lord Jesus. They will confess Him as Lord, and God will forgive them. Zechariah 12-14 tells how all this will take place.

Romans 11:28-29. God will execute His plans with respect to His earthly people. He will do what He has promised; He will not revoke it. Israel now behaves with hostility toward the preaching of the gospel, but as to election God loves them because they are descendants of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were the ones to whom God gave His promises. As a result of the people’s unfaithfulness, the fulfillment of the promises had to be put off. But with God, delays are no problem. He doesn’t revoke His promises. He doesn’t change His mind regarding what He has promised to His people and to which He has called them.

Now read Romans 11:23-29 again.

Reflection: What is a mystery?

1 Corinthians 1:7

All Israel Will Be Saved

I concluded the previous section by asking if it is going wrong with you and me after all. Can we conclude this from Romans 11:22, even though we believe in the Lord Jesus? The Lord Jesus gives the answer in John 10: “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). One who is a child of God will remain so forever. Unfortunately, you may on occasions behave unlike a child of God. This has to do with your personal responsibility. If you sin as a child of God, you must confess it.

In this current portion we see the responsibility of the Christian testimony that has taken Israel’s place. If this testimony as a whole becomes unfaithful, God cannot maintain it anymore than He could maintain Israel’s. With Israel some Israelites had a personal relationship with God, but in general Israel consisted of people who didn’t want God.

The same is true for professing Christianity. Some who call themselves Christians have a relationship with God on the basis of a personal faith, but in general in professing Christianity, emphasis is increasingly being placed on what man wants rather than true faith. God’s thoughts are not sought after. The Bible is left unread. As a result God can no longer recognize Christianity as His testimony on earth, so He will have to judge it. So you have to distinguish between one’s proper, personal responsibility before God and what God expects from Christianity as a whole. I hope this has helped to make the distinction clearer.

Romans 11:23-25. Now on to Romans 11:23. In this verse Paul says that Israel will again take the place of God’s testimony on earth. This is what he calls a “mystery” (Romans 11:25). A mystery in the Bible is something that was unknown in the Old Testament, but is now made known. This mystery concerns the rejection and acceptance of Israel, including the current time when God has accepted another people for His name. In the Old Testament this wasn’t known.

To avoid being wise in your own opinion, you must realize the hardening or blinding that has come over Israel has not come over all Israel, but only over part of it – the mass of unbelieving Israelites – which leaves room for a remnant.

Romans 11:26. This remnant eventually will be all of Israel because all the ungodly and unbelieving Israelites will perish by God’s judgment during the tribulation. What remains will be “all Israel”. God will go on with this new Israel after the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). This last expression means that the Christian testimony on earth will have completed the time of its testimony and reached its end. God will cut it off because it didn’t abide in God’s kindness (see Romans 11:22). After this, Israel will again be the object of His love.

The Redeemer or Deliverer will come out of Zion to deliver His people from the enemies who want to destroy them. Many Old Testament prophecies tell how this will happen.

Romans 11:27. They also will receive the assurance that God will fulfill the covenant He made with His people by taking away their sins from them. It is necessary to be free from the burden of sins to really enjoy God’s blessings. The huge burden weighing on the people will be their rejection of the Lord Jesus. They will confess Him as Lord, and God will forgive them. Zechariah 12-14 tells how all this will take place.

Romans 11:28-29. God will execute His plans with respect to His earthly people. He will do what He has promised; He will not revoke it. Israel now behaves with hostility toward the preaching of the gospel, but as to election God loves them because they are descendants of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were the ones to whom God gave His promises. As a result of the people’s unfaithfulness, the fulfillment of the promises had to be put off. But with God, delays are no problem. He doesn’t revoke His promises. He doesn’t change His mind regarding what He has promised to His people and to which He has called them.

Now read Romans 11:23-29 again.

Reflection: What is a mystery?

1 Corinthians 1:8

All Israel Will Be Saved

I concluded the previous section by asking if it is going wrong with you and me after all. Can we conclude this from Romans 11:22, even though we believe in the Lord Jesus? The Lord Jesus gives the answer in John 10: “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). One who is a child of God will remain so forever. Unfortunately, you may on occasions behave unlike a child of God. This has to do with your personal responsibility. If you sin as a child of God, you must confess it.

In this current portion we see the responsibility of the Christian testimony that has taken Israel’s place. If this testimony as a whole becomes unfaithful, God cannot maintain it anymore than He could maintain Israel’s. With Israel some Israelites had a personal relationship with God, but in general Israel consisted of people who didn’t want God.

The same is true for professing Christianity. Some who call themselves Christians have a relationship with God on the basis of a personal faith, but in general in professing Christianity, emphasis is increasingly being placed on what man wants rather than true faith. God’s thoughts are not sought after. The Bible is left unread. As a result God can no longer recognize Christianity as His testimony on earth, so He will have to judge it. So you have to distinguish between one’s proper, personal responsibility before God and what God expects from Christianity as a whole. I hope this has helped to make the distinction clearer.

Romans 11:23-25. Now on to Romans 11:23. In this verse Paul says that Israel will again take the place of God’s testimony on earth. This is what he calls a “mystery” (Romans 11:25). A mystery in the Bible is something that was unknown in the Old Testament, but is now made known. This mystery concerns the rejection and acceptance of Israel, including the current time when God has accepted another people for His name. In the Old Testament this wasn’t known.

To avoid being wise in your own opinion, you must realize the hardening or blinding that has come over Israel has not come over all Israel, but only over part of it – the mass of unbelieving Israelites – which leaves room for a remnant.

Romans 11:26. This remnant eventually will be all of Israel because all the ungodly and unbelieving Israelites will perish by God’s judgment during the tribulation. What remains will be “all Israel”. God will go on with this new Israel after the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). This last expression means that the Christian testimony on earth will have completed the time of its testimony and reached its end. God will cut it off because it didn’t abide in God’s kindness (see Romans 11:22). After this, Israel will again be the object of His love.

The Redeemer or Deliverer will come out of Zion to deliver His people from the enemies who want to destroy them. Many Old Testament prophecies tell how this will happen.

Romans 11:27. They also will receive the assurance that God will fulfill the covenant He made with His people by taking away their sins from them. It is necessary to be free from the burden of sins to really enjoy God’s blessings. The huge burden weighing on the people will be their rejection of the Lord Jesus. They will confess Him as Lord, and God will forgive them. Zechariah 12-14 tells how all this will take place.

Romans 11:28-29. God will execute His plans with respect to His earthly people. He will do what He has promised; He will not revoke it. Israel now behaves with hostility toward the preaching of the gospel, but as to election God loves them because they are descendants of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were the ones to whom God gave His promises. As a result of the people’s unfaithfulness, the fulfillment of the promises had to be put off. But with God, delays are no problem. He doesn’t revoke His promises. He doesn’t change His mind regarding what He has promised to His people and to which He has called them.

Now read Romans 11:23-29 again.

Reflection: What is a mystery?

1 Corinthians 1:9

All Israel Will Be Saved

I concluded the previous section by asking if it is going wrong with you and me after all. Can we conclude this from Romans 11:22, even though we believe in the Lord Jesus? The Lord Jesus gives the answer in John 10: “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). One who is a child of God will remain so forever. Unfortunately, you may on occasions behave unlike a child of God. This has to do with your personal responsibility. If you sin as a child of God, you must confess it.

In this current portion we see the responsibility of the Christian testimony that has taken Israel’s place. If this testimony as a whole becomes unfaithful, God cannot maintain it anymore than He could maintain Israel’s. With Israel some Israelites had a personal relationship with God, but in general Israel consisted of people who didn’t want God.

The same is true for professing Christianity. Some who call themselves Christians have a relationship with God on the basis of a personal faith, but in general in professing Christianity, emphasis is increasingly being placed on what man wants rather than true faith. God’s thoughts are not sought after. The Bible is left unread. As a result God can no longer recognize Christianity as His testimony on earth, so He will have to judge it. So you have to distinguish between one’s proper, personal responsibility before God and what God expects from Christianity as a whole. I hope this has helped to make the distinction clearer.

Romans 11:23-25. Now on to Romans 11:23. In this verse Paul says that Israel will again take the place of God’s testimony on earth. This is what he calls a “mystery” (Romans 11:25). A mystery in the Bible is something that was unknown in the Old Testament, but is now made known. This mystery concerns the rejection and acceptance of Israel, including the current time when God has accepted another people for His name. In the Old Testament this wasn’t known.

To avoid being wise in your own opinion, you must realize the hardening or blinding that has come over Israel has not come over all Israel, but only over part of it – the mass of unbelieving Israelites – which leaves room for a remnant.

Romans 11:26. This remnant eventually will be all of Israel because all the ungodly and unbelieving Israelites will perish by God’s judgment during the tribulation. What remains will be “all Israel”. God will go on with this new Israel after the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). This last expression means that the Christian testimony on earth will have completed the time of its testimony and reached its end. God will cut it off because it didn’t abide in God’s kindness (see Romans 11:22). After this, Israel will again be the object of His love.

The Redeemer or Deliverer will come out of Zion to deliver His people from the enemies who want to destroy them. Many Old Testament prophecies tell how this will happen.

Romans 11:27. They also will receive the assurance that God will fulfill the covenant He made with His people by taking away their sins from them. It is necessary to be free from the burden of sins to really enjoy God’s blessings. The huge burden weighing on the people will be their rejection of the Lord Jesus. They will confess Him as Lord, and God will forgive them. Zechariah 12-14 tells how all this will take place.

Romans 11:28-29. God will execute His plans with respect to His earthly people. He will do what He has promised; He will not revoke it. Israel now behaves with hostility toward the preaching of the gospel, but as to election God loves them because they are descendants of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were the ones to whom God gave His promises. As a result of the people’s unfaithfulness, the fulfillment of the promises had to be put off. But with God, delays are no problem. He doesn’t revoke His promises. He doesn’t change His mind regarding what He has promised to His people and to which He has called them.

Now read Romans 11:23-29 again.

Reflection: What is a mystery?

1 Corinthians 1:10

All Israel Will Be Saved

I concluded the previous section by asking if it is going wrong with you and me after all. Can we conclude this from Romans 11:22, even though we believe in the Lord Jesus? The Lord Jesus gives the answer in John 10: “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). One who is a child of God will remain so forever. Unfortunately, you may on occasions behave unlike a child of God. This has to do with your personal responsibility. If you sin as a child of God, you must confess it.

In this current portion we see the responsibility of the Christian testimony that has taken Israel’s place. If this testimony as a whole becomes unfaithful, God cannot maintain it anymore than He could maintain Israel’s. With Israel some Israelites had a personal relationship with God, but in general Israel consisted of people who didn’t want God.

The same is true for professing Christianity. Some who call themselves Christians have a relationship with God on the basis of a personal faith, but in general in professing Christianity, emphasis is increasingly being placed on what man wants rather than true faith. God’s thoughts are not sought after. The Bible is left unread. As a result God can no longer recognize Christianity as His testimony on earth, so He will have to judge it. So you have to distinguish between one’s proper, personal responsibility before God and what God expects from Christianity as a whole. I hope this has helped to make the distinction clearer.

Romans 11:23-25. Now on to Romans 11:23. In this verse Paul says that Israel will again take the place of God’s testimony on earth. This is what he calls a “mystery” (Romans 11:25). A mystery in the Bible is something that was unknown in the Old Testament, but is now made known. This mystery concerns the rejection and acceptance of Israel, including the current time when God has accepted another people for His name. In the Old Testament this wasn’t known.

To avoid being wise in your own opinion, you must realize the hardening or blinding that has come over Israel has not come over all Israel, but only over part of it – the mass of unbelieving Israelites – which leaves room for a remnant.

Romans 11:26. This remnant eventually will be all of Israel because all the ungodly and unbelieving Israelites will perish by God’s judgment during the tribulation. What remains will be “all Israel”. God will go on with this new Israel after the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). This last expression means that the Christian testimony on earth will have completed the time of its testimony and reached its end. God will cut it off because it didn’t abide in God’s kindness (see Romans 11:22). After this, Israel will again be the object of His love.

The Redeemer or Deliverer will come out of Zion to deliver His people from the enemies who want to destroy them. Many Old Testament prophecies tell how this will happen.

Romans 11:27. They also will receive the assurance that God will fulfill the covenant He made with His people by taking away their sins from them. It is necessary to be free from the burden of sins to really enjoy God’s blessings. The huge burden weighing on the people will be their rejection of the Lord Jesus. They will confess Him as Lord, and God will forgive them. Zechariah 12-14 tells how all this will take place.

Romans 11:28-29. God will execute His plans with respect to His earthly people. He will do what He has promised; He will not revoke it. Israel now behaves with hostility toward the preaching of the gospel, but as to election God loves them because they are descendants of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were the ones to whom God gave His promises. As a result of the people’s unfaithfulness, the fulfillment of the promises had to be put off. But with God, delays are no problem. He doesn’t revoke His promises. He doesn’t change His mind regarding what He has promised to His people and to which He has called them.

Now read Romans 11:23-29 again.

Reflection: What is a mystery?

1 Corinthians 1:11

All Israel Will Be Saved

I concluded the previous section by asking if it is going wrong with you and me after all. Can we conclude this from Romans 11:22, even though we believe in the Lord Jesus? The Lord Jesus gives the answer in John 10: “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). One who is a child of God will remain so forever. Unfortunately, you may on occasions behave unlike a child of God. This has to do with your personal responsibility. If you sin as a child of God, you must confess it.

In this current portion we see the responsibility of the Christian testimony that has taken Israel’s place. If this testimony as a whole becomes unfaithful, God cannot maintain it anymore than He could maintain Israel’s. With Israel some Israelites had a personal relationship with God, but in general Israel consisted of people who didn’t want God.

The same is true for professing Christianity. Some who call themselves Christians have a relationship with God on the basis of a personal faith, but in general in professing Christianity, emphasis is increasingly being placed on what man wants rather than true faith. God’s thoughts are not sought after. The Bible is left unread. As a result God can no longer recognize Christianity as His testimony on earth, so He will have to judge it. So you have to distinguish between one’s proper, personal responsibility before God and what God expects from Christianity as a whole. I hope this has helped to make the distinction clearer.

Romans 11:23-25. Now on to Romans 11:23. In this verse Paul says that Israel will again take the place of God’s testimony on earth. This is what he calls a “mystery” (Romans 11:25). A mystery in the Bible is something that was unknown in the Old Testament, but is now made known. This mystery concerns the rejection and acceptance of Israel, including the current time when God has accepted another people for His name. In the Old Testament this wasn’t known.

To avoid being wise in your own opinion, you must realize the hardening or blinding that has come over Israel has not come over all Israel, but only over part of it – the mass of unbelieving Israelites – which leaves room for a remnant.

Romans 11:26. This remnant eventually will be all of Israel because all the ungodly and unbelieving Israelites will perish by God’s judgment during the tribulation. What remains will be “all Israel”. God will go on with this new Israel after the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). This last expression means that the Christian testimony on earth will have completed the time of its testimony and reached its end. God will cut it off because it didn’t abide in God’s kindness (see Romans 11:22). After this, Israel will again be the object of His love.

The Redeemer or Deliverer will come out of Zion to deliver His people from the enemies who want to destroy them. Many Old Testament prophecies tell how this will happen.

Romans 11:27. They also will receive the assurance that God will fulfill the covenant He made with His people by taking away their sins from them. It is necessary to be free from the burden of sins to really enjoy God’s blessings. The huge burden weighing on the people will be their rejection of the Lord Jesus. They will confess Him as Lord, and God will forgive them. Zechariah 12-14 tells how all this will take place.

Romans 11:28-29. God will execute His plans with respect to His earthly people. He will do what He has promised; He will not revoke it. Israel now behaves with hostility toward the preaching of the gospel, but as to election God loves them because they are descendants of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were the ones to whom God gave His promises. As a result of the people’s unfaithfulness, the fulfillment of the promises had to be put off. But with God, delays are no problem. He doesn’t revoke His promises. He doesn’t change His mind regarding what He has promised to His people and to which He has called them.

Now read Romans 11:23-29 again.

Reflection: What is a mystery?

1 Corinthians 1:12

To Him Be the Glory Forever!

Romans 11:30. The final verses of Romans 11 summarize all that Paul expounded in the preceding chapters. It became clear that we, belonging to the Gentiles, didn’t believe in God. By believing the gospel, we received mercy.

Romans 11:31. But we also saw that the gospel could only have gone out to the Gentiles when the Jews failed to respond to the many times God called on them to repent. Then when they saw grace going out to the Gentiles, they couldn’t bear it and became enemies of the gospel. In Acts we read about this time and again. With this attitude they arrived at the same place before God that the Gentiles used to be. Just as we Gentiles didn’t believe in former days, the Jews don’t believe now.

Romans 11:32. God’s purpose with this is to show us that all, without exception, are unbelievers. As a result, mercy has gone out to everyone without exception. He wants to prove He is merciful. Is there a better way to do this than first showing that everyone needs this mercy?

Romans 11:33. This brings Paul to praise God in Romans 11:33-36. In these verses he admires God’s wisdom and knowledge. In the Lord Jesus we see God’s wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 1 He is called the “wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Who would ever have thought of solving in this way the problems caused by the sin of man? God has perfect knowledge of all that has happened and He knows how to deal with it in a perfectly righteous way. This encloses a depth of wisdom which is unsearchable for us.

In His judging the situation that has arisen, or the perfect insight He has in the situation that has arisen, He is exalted far beyond us. For man, no prospect was left. He couldn’t offer a single solution. All he could do was make sin worse. Then God started working. Who can search the ways in which He has acted? No one can. Now, after the cross, we can admire Him since He has completed His work in Christ.

Romans 11:34-35. Could anyone except God ever have devised this way? Would God have needed a counselor for this plan? Who could have been His counselor anyway? Everything God has in wisdom and ability, He possesses in Himself. He doesn’t have to take it from others. There is no higher power in the whole universe than God. And there is no one who could give Him something of which He is in need and of which He should repay. God alone is independent.

Romans 11:36. “From Him” are all things. All things find their origins in Him. In Romans 4 God created the things that were not from within Himself. All sources of matter, wisdom and knowledge are within Himself.

And all things not only proceed from Him, but He Himself also accomplished and achieved all things. All things are also “through Him”. Finally we come to the “to Him”. Of all His plans and actions, He is the great Object in which it all ends. God glorifies Himself in everything He does. The astonishing and admirable thing that will eternally raise our adoration is that God has included us in His plan. In eternity you will be allowed to contribute to His glory. Isn’t it overwhelming, thinking of your former state, to see the place God has now given you?

You cannot but agree with Paul saying: “To Him [be] the glory forever.” There is nothing more to be added to this other than “Amen”. This reminds me of Revelation 5 when, after the praise (Revelation 5:13-14), an “Amen” follows and all the elders fall down and worship. No words are heard anymore. Hearts lose themselves in a boundless and unspeakable admiration for God and the Lamb. Amen.

Now read Romans 11:30-36 again.

Reflection: Think once more about Romans 11:36.

1 Corinthians 1:13

To Him Be the Glory Forever!

Romans 11:30. The final verses of Romans 11 summarize all that Paul expounded in the preceding chapters. It became clear that we, belonging to the Gentiles, didn’t believe in God. By believing the gospel, we received mercy.

Romans 11:31. But we also saw that the gospel could only have gone out to the Gentiles when the Jews failed to respond to the many times God called on them to repent. Then when they saw grace going out to the Gentiles, they couldn’t bear it and became enemies of the gospel. In Acts we read about this time and again. With this attitude they arrived at the same place before God that the Gentiles used to be. Just as we Gentiles didn’t believe in former days, the Jews don’t believe now.

Romans 11:32. God’s purpose with this is to show us that all, without exception, are unbelievers. As a result, mercy has gone out to everyone without exception. He wants to prove He is merciful. Is there a better way to do this than first showing that everyone needs this mercy?

Romans 11:33. This brings Paul to praise God in Romans 11:33-36. In these verses he admires God’s wisdom and knowledge. In the Lord Jesus we see God’s wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 1 He is called the “wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Who would ever have thought of solving in this way the problems caused by the sin of man? God has perfect knowledge of all that has happened and He knows how to deal with it in a perfectly righteous way. This encloses a depth of wisdom which is unsearchable for us.

In His judging the situation that has arisen, or the perfect insight He has in the situation that has arisen, He is exalted far beyond us. For man, no prospect was left. He couldn’t offer a single solution. All he could do was make sin worse. Then God started working. Who can search the ways in which He has acted? No one can. Now, after the cross, we can admire Him since He has completed His work in Christ.

Romans 11:34-35. Could anyone except God ever have devised this way? Would God have needed a counselor for this plan? Who could have been His counselor anyway? Everything God has in wisdom and ability, He possesses in Himself. He doesn’t have to take it from others. There is no higher power in the whole universe than God. And there is no one who could give Him something of which He is in need and of which He should repay. God alone is independent.

Romans 11:36. “From Him” are all things. All things find their origins in Him. In Romans 4 God created the things that were not from within Himself. All sources of matter, wisdom and knowledge are within Himself.

And all things not only proceed from Him, but He Himself also accomplished and achieved all things. All things are also “through Him”. Finally we come to the “to Him”. Of all His plans and actions, He is the great Object in which it all ends. God glorifies Himself in everything He does. The astonishing and admirable thing that will eternally raise our adoration is that God has included us in His plan. In eternity you will be allowed to contribute to His glory. Isn’t it overwhelming, thinking of your former state, to see the place God has now given you?

You cannot but agree with Paul saying: “To Him [be] the glory forever.” There is nothing more to be added to this other than “Amen”. This reminds me of Revelation 5 when, after the praise (Revelation 5:13-14), an “Amen” follows and all the elders fall down and worship. No words are heard anymore. Hearts lose themselves in a boundless and unspeakable admiration for God and the Lamb. Amen.

Now read Romans 11:30-36 again.

Reflection: Think once more about Romans 11:36.

1 Corinthians 1:14

To Him Be the Glory Forever!

Romans 11:30. The final verses of Romans 11 summarize all that Paul expounded in the preceding chapters. It became clear that we, belonging to the Gentiles, didn’t believe in God. By believing the gospel, we received mercy.

Romans 11:31. But we also saw that the gospel could only have gone out to the Gentiles when the Jews failed to respond to the many times God called on them to repent. Then when they saw grace going out to the Gentiles, they couldn’t bear it and became enemies of the gospel. In Acts we read about this time and again. With this attitude they arrived at the same place before God that the Gentiles used to be. Just as we Gentiles didn’t believe in former days, the Jews don’t believe now.

Romans 11:32. God’s purpose with this is to show us that all, without exception, are unbelievers. As a result, mercy has gone out to everyone without exception. He wants to prove He is merciful. Is there a better way to do this than first showing that everyone needs this mercy?

Romans 11:33. This brings Paul to praise God in Romans 11:33-36. In these verses he admires God’s wisdom and knowledge. In the Lord Jesus we see God’s wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 1 He is called the “wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Who would ever have thought of solving in this way the problems caused by the sin of man? God has perfect knowledge of all that has happened and He knows how to deal with it in a perfectly righteous way. This encloses a depth of wisdom which is unsearchable for us.

In His judging the situation that has arisen, or the perfect insight He has in the situation that has arisen, He is exalted far beyond us. For man, no prospect was left. He couldn’t offer a single solution. All he could do was make sin worse. Then God started working. Who can search the ways in which He has acted? No one can. Now, after the cross, we can admire Him since He has completed His work in Christ.

Romans 11:34-35. Could anyone except God ever have devised this way? Would God have needed a counselor for this plan? Who could have been His counselor anyway? Everything God has in wisdom and ability, He possesses in Himself. He doesn’t have to take it from others. There is no higher power in the whole universe than God. And there is no one who could give Him something of which He is in need and of which He should repay. God alone is independent.

Romans 11:36. “From Him” are all things. All things find their origins in Him. In Romans 4 God created the things that were not from within Himself. All sources of matter, wisdom and knowledge are within Himself.

And all things not only proceed from Him, but He Himself also accomplished and achieved all things. All things are also “through Him”. Finally we come to the “to Him”. Of all His plans and actions, He is the great Object in which it all ends. God glorifies Himself in everything He does. The astonishing and admirable thing that will eternally raise our adoration is that God has included us in His plan. In eternity you will be allowed to contribute to His glory. Isn’t it overwhelming, thinking of your former state, to see the place God has now given you?

You cannot but agree with Paul saying: “To Him [be] the glory forever.” There is nothing more to be added to this other than “Amen”. This reminds me of Revelation 5 when, after the praise (Revelation 5:13-14), an “Amen” follows and all the elders fall down and worship. No words are heard anymore. Hearts lose themselves in a boundless and unspeakable admiration for God and the Lamb. Amen.

Now read Romans 11:30-36 again.

Reflection: Think once more about Romans 11:36.

1 Corinthians 1:15

To Him Be the Glory Forever!

Romans 11:30. The final verses of Romans 11 summarize all that Paul expounded in the preceding chapters. It became clear that we, belonging to the Gentiles, didn’t believe in God. By believing the gospel, we received mercy.

Romans 11:31. But we also saw that the gospel could only have gone out to the Gentiles when the Jews failed to respond to the many times God called on them to repent. Then when they saw grace going out to the Gentiles, they couldn’t bear it and became enemies of the gospel. In Acts we read about this time and again. With this attitude they arrived at the same place before God that the Gentiles used to be. Just as we Gentiles didn’t believe in former days, the Jews don’t believe now.

Romans 11:32. God’s purpose with this is to show us that all, without exception, are unbelievers. As a result, mercy has gone out to everyone without exception. He wants to prove He is merciful. Is there a better way to do this than first showing that everyone needs this mercy?

Romans 11:33. This brings Paul to praise God in Romans 11:33-36. In these verses he admires God’s wisdom and knowledge. In the Lord Jesus we see God’s wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 1 He is called the “wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Who would ever have thought of solving in this way the problems caused by the sin of man? God has perfect knowledge of all that has happened and He knows how to deal with it in a perfectly righteous way. This encloses a depth of wisdom which is unsearchable for us.

In His judging the situation that has arisen, or the perfect insight He has in the situation that has arisen, He is exalted far beyond us. For man, no prospect was left. He couldn’t offer a single solution. All he could do was make sin worse. Then God started working. Who can search the ways in which He has acted? No one can. Now, after the cross, we can admire Him since He has completed His work in Christ.

Romans 11:34-35. Could anyone except God ever have devised this way? Would God have needed a counselor for this plan? Who could have been His counselor anyway? Everything God has in wisdom and ability, He possesses in Himself. He doesn’t have to take it from others. There is no higher power in the whole universe than God. And there is no one who could give Him something of which He is in need and of which He should repay. God alone is independent.

Romans 11:36. “From Him” are all things. All things find their origins in Him. In Romans 4 God created the things that were not from within Himself. All sources of matter, wisdom and knowledge are within Himself.

And all things not only proceed from Him, but He Himself also accomplished and achieved all things. All things are also “through Him”. Finally we come to the “to Him”. Of all His plans and actions, He is the great Object in which it all ends. God glorifies Himself in everything He does. The astonishing and admirable thing that will eternally raise our adoration is that God has included us in His plan. In eternity you will be allowed to contribute to His glory. Isn’t it overwhelming, thinking of your former state, to see the place God has now given you?

You cannot but agree with Paul saying: “To Him [be] the glory forever.” There is nothing more to be added to this other than “Amen”. This reminds me of Revelation 5 when, after the praise (Revelation 5:13-14), an “Amen” follows and all the elders fall down and worship. No words are heard anymore. Hearts lose themselves in a boundless and unspeakable admiration for God and the Lamb. Amen.

Now read Romans 11:30-36 again.

Reflection: Think once more about Romans 11:36.

1 Corinthians 1:16

To Him Be the Glory Forever!

Romans 11:30. The final verses of Romans 11 summarize all that Paul expounded in the preceding chapters. It became clear that we, belonging to the Gentiles, didn’t believe in God. By believing the gospel, we received mercy.

Romans 11:31. But we also saw that the gospel could only have gone out to the Gentiles when the Jews failed to respond to the many times God called on them to repent. Then when they saw grace going out to the Gentiles, they couldn’t bear it and became enemies of the gospel. In Acts we read about this time and again. With this attitude they arrived at the same place before God that the Gentiles used to be. Just as we Gentiles didn’t believe in former days, the Jews don’t believe now.

Romans 11:32. God’s purpose with this is to show us that all, without exception, are unbelievers. As a result, mercy has gone out to everyone without exception. He wants to prove He is merciful. Is there a better way to do this than first showing that everyone needs this mercy?

Romans 11:33. This brings Paul to praise God in Romans 11:33-36. In these verses he admires God’s wisdom and knowledge. In the Lord Jesus we see God’s wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 1 He is called the “wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Who would ever have thought of solving in this way the problems caused by the sin of man? God has perfect knowledge of all that has happened and He knows how to deal with it in a perfectly righteous way. This encloses a depth of wisdom which is unsearchable for us.

In His judging the situation that has arisen, or the perfect insight He has in the situation that has arisen, He is exalted far beyond us. For man, no prospect was left. He couldn’t offer a single solution. All he could do was make sin worse. Then God started working. Who can search the ways in which He has acted? No one can. Now, after the cross, we can admire Him since He has completed His work in Christ.

Romans 11:34-35. Could anyone except God ever have devised this way? Would God have needed a counselor for this plan? Who could have been His counselor anyway? Everything God has in wisdom and ability, He possesses in Himself. He doesn’t have to take it from others. There is no higher power in the whole universe than God. And there is no one who could give Him something of which He is in need and of which He should repay. God alone is independent.

Romans 11:36. “From Him” are all things. All things find their origins in Him. In Romans 4 God created the things that were not from within Himself. All sources of matter, wisdom and knowledge are within Himself.

And all things not only proceed from Him, but He Himself also accomplished and achieved all things. All things are also “through Him”. Finally we come to the “to Him”. Of all His plans and actions, He is the great Object in which it all ends. God glorifies Himself in everything He does. The astonishing and admirable thing that will eternally raise our adoration is that God has included us in His plan. In eternity you will be allowed to contribute to His glory. Isn’t it overwhelming, thinking of your former state, to see the place God has now given you?

You cannot but agree with Paul saying: “To Him [be] the glory forever.” There is nothing more to be added to this other than “Amen”. This reminds me of Revelation 5 when, after the praise (Revelation 5:13-14), an “Amen” follows and all the elders fall down and worship. No words are heard anymore. Hearts lose themselves in a boundless and unspeakable admiration for God and the Lamb. Amen.

Now read Romans 11:30-36 again.

Reflection: Think once more about Romans 11:36.

1 Corinthians 1:17

To Him Be the Glory Forever!

Romans 11:30. The final verses of Romans 11 summarize all that Paul expounded in the preceding chapters. It became clear that we, belonging to the Gentiles, didn’t believe in God. By believing the gospel, we received mercy.

Romans 11:31. But we also saw that the gospel could only have gone out to the Gentiles when the Jews failed to respond to the many times God called on them to repent. Then when they saw grace going out to the Gentiles, they couldn’t bear it and became enemies of the gospel. In Acts we read about this time and again. With this attitude they arrived at the same place before God that the Gentiles used to be. Just as we Gentiles didn’t believe in former days, the Jews don’t believe now.

Romans 11:32. God’s purpose with this is to show us that all, without exception, are unbelievers. As a result, mercy has gone out to everyone without exception. He wants to prove He is merciful. Is there a better way to do this than first showing that everyone needs this mercy?

Romans 11:33. This brings Paul to praise God in Romans 11:33-36. In these verses he admires God’s wisdom and knowledge. In the Lord Jesus we see God’s wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 1 He is called the “wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Who would ever have thought of solving in this way the problems caused by the sin of man? God has perfect knowledge of all that has happened and He knows how to deal with it in a perfectly righteous way. This encloses a depth of wisdom which is unsearchable for us.

In His judging the situation that has arisen, or the perfect insight He has in the situation that has arisen, He is exalted far beyond us. For man, no prospect was left. He couldn’t offer a single solution. All he could do was make sin worse. Then God started working. Who can search the ways in which He has acted? No one can. Now, after the cross, we can admire Him since He has completed His work in Christ.

Romans 11:34-35. Could anyone except God ever have devised this way? Would God have needed a counselor for this plan? Who could have been His counselor anyway? Everything God has in wisdom and ability, He possesses in Himself. He doesn’t have to take it from others. There is no higher power in the whole universe than God. And there is no one who could give Him something of which He is in need and of which He should repay. God alone is independent.

Romans 11:36. “From Him” are all things. All things find their origins in Him. In Romans 4 God created the things that were not from within Himself. All sources of matter, wisdom and knowledge are within Himself.

And all things not only proceed from Him, but He Himself also accomplished and achieved all things. All things are also “through Him”. Finally we come to the “to Him”. Of all His plans and actions, He is the great Object in which it all ends. God glorifies Himself in everything He does. The astonishing and admirable thing that will eternally raise our adoration is that God has included us in His plan. In eternity you will be allowed to contribute to His glory. Isn’t it overwhelming, thinking of your former state, to see the place God has now given you?

You cannot but agree with Paul saying: “To Him [be] the glory forever.” There is nothing more to be added to this other than “Amen”. This reminds me of Revelation 5 when, after the praise (Revelation 5:13-14), an “Amen” follows and all the elders fall down and worship. No words are heard anymore. Hearts lose themselves in a boundless and unspeakable admiration for God and the Lamb. Amen.

Now read Romans 11:30-36 again.

Reflection: Think once more about Romans 11:36.

1 Corinthians 1:18

To Him Be the Glory Forever!

Romans 11:30. The final verses of Romans 11 summarize all that Paul expounded in the preceding chapters. It became clear that we, belonging to the Gentiles, didn’t believe in God. By believing the gospel, we received mercy.

Romans 11:31. But we also saw that the gospel could only have gone out to the Gentiles when the Jews failed to respond to the many times God called on them to repent. Then when they saw grace going out to the Gentiles, they couldn’t bear it and became enemies of the gospel. In Acts we read about this time and again. With this attitude they arrived at the same place before God that the Gentiles used to be. Just as we Gentiles didn’t believe in former days, the Jews don’t believe now.

Romans 11:32. God’s purpose with this is to show us that all, without exception, are unbelievers. As a result, mercy has gone out to everyone without exception. He wants to prove He is merciful. Is there a better way to do this than first showing that everyone needs this mercy?

Romans 11:33. This brings Paul to praise God in Romans 11:33-36. In these verses he admires God’s wisdom and knowledge. In the Lord Jesus we see God’s wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 1 He is called the “wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Who would ever have thought of solving in this way the problems caused by the sin of man? God has perfect knowledge of all that has happened and He knows how to deal with it in a perfectly righteous way. This encloses a depth of wisdom which is unsearchable for us.

In His judging the situation that has arisen, or the perfect insight He has in the situation that has arisen, He is exalted far beyond us. For man, no prospect was left. He couldn’t offer a single solution. All he could do was make sin worse. Then God started working. Who can search the ways in which He has acted? No one can. Now, after the cross, we can admire Him since He has completed His work in Christ.

Romans 11:34-35. Could anyone except God ever have devised this way? Would God have needed a counselor for this plan? Who could have been His counselor anyway? Everything God has in wisdom and ability, He possesses in Himself. He doesn’t have to take it from others. There is no higher power in the whole universe than God. And there is no one who could give Him something of which He is in need and of which He should repay. God alone is independent.

Romans 11:36. “From Him” are all things. All things find their origins in Him. In Romans 4 God created the things that were not from within Himself. All sources of matter, wisdom and knowledge are within Himself.

And all things not only proceed from Him, but He Himself also accomplished and achieved all things. All things are also “through Him”. Finally we come to the “to Him”. Of all His plans and actions, He is the great Object in which it all ends. God glorifies Himself in everything He does. The astonishing and admirable thing that will eternally raise our adoration is that God has included us in His plan. In eternity you will be allowed to contribute to His glory. Isn’t it overwhelming, thinking of your former state, to see the place God has now given you?

You cannot but agree with Paul saying: “To Him [be] the glory forever.” There is nothing more to be added to this other than “Amen”. This reminds me of Revelation 5 when, after the praise (Revelation 5:13-14), an “Amen” follows and all the elders fall down and worship. No words are heard anymore. Hearts lose themselves in a boundless and unspeakable admiration for God and the Lamb. Amen.

Now read Romans 11:30-36 again.

Reflection: Think once more about Romans 11:36.

1 Corinthians 1:20

Be Transformed

Romans 12:1. If you have considered all that God has done for you, how much He loves you and how merciful He is, you can only exclaim: ‘Lord, here I am, fill my life!’ God expects you to show in your life that you understand something of the teaching you have received. You didn’t read these teachings as lessons merely to memorize them. What you have seen are “the mercies of God”. You have experienced them for yourself, and this is what Paul takes for granted when he sets out to teach you how to live as a Christian for God’s honor.

Romans 12:1; 2 can each be summarized with one word: Romans 12:1 is dedication and Romans 12:2 is obedience. Since you have accepted the Lord Jesus, God has a right to your whole life. It shouldn’t be difficult for you to present your body “a living and holy sacrifice” when you think of what God has done for you. So Paul points to “the mercies of God”. It is a joy to God’s heart when His mercies are answered with the sacrifice of your body, when dedication and submission are manifested in your life.

At one time you used your body to live for yourself. You were willing to receive honor for yourself because of the things you did and who you were. But your body is no longer yours. In 1 Corinthians 6 you read: “You have been bought with a price”, the price the Lord Jesus paid, and therefore you should “glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20). This is what the “holy” is all about. “Holy” means to be set apart for a certain object. Your body has been set apart with the object of glorifying God in it and with it.

How can you do this? In the way you treat your body and in what you do with it! God wants to see in your life the life of the Lord Jesus when He was here on earth. Then the sacrifice of your body will be pleasing to God as was the case with the Lord Jesus. On several occasions, God has let it be heard several times from heaven about the Lord Jesus: “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5). This pleasure is what God is looking for in your life.

God would not be pleased by an occasional pious mood or feeling without giving a thought to what you’re really doing. It is a “spiritual service of worship”, or, as it also can be translated, a “rational service”. This means it’s a way of life in which you’re conscious of everything you’re doing and not doing for the Lord. Your decisions are made in His presence.

Romans 12:2. This is important because it’s easy to let yourself be led by what’s common in the world around you. God wants to make His will clear to you. Do you ask for His will in all things? Your whole life, the way you behave, talk, act, dress and treat people, shouldn’t be conformed to this world, but must be changed completely. You don’t have to decide the way in which this change should take place. This happens from the “renewing of your mind”. Your mind used to be self-centered, but by the new life and the attitude from your new life, you now can be God-centered.

Paul wrote this as an exhortation, so it’s not an automatic change. You have to devote yourself to it to let this transformation take place. If you’re recently converted you may count on God’s patience. Not everything in which you were conformed to in this world will immediately be removed from you. God will show this to you step by step. If you have been converted for a longer time, you also need this exhortation. You can’t escape the influence of this world. Therefore, you must always make this transformation true. Is that what you want to do? That’s what it comes down to.

Only then will you be able to “prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect”. Knowing His will is an absolute necessity to show God’s mercies in your life. What a rich life will be yours if you learn to look at it this way!

Now read Romans 12:1-2 again.

Reflection: Are there things in your life that you know must be changed to please God?

1 Corinthians 1:21

Be Transformed

Romans 12:1. If you have considered all that God has done for you, how much He loves you and how merciful He is, you can only exclaim: ‘Lord, here I am, fill my life!’ God expects you to show in your life that you understand something of the teaching you have received. You didn’t read these teachings as lessons merely to memorize them. What you have seen are “the mercies of God”. You have experienced them for yourself, and this is what Paul takes for granted when he sets out to teach you how to live as a Christian for God’s honor.

Romans 12:1; 2 can each be summarized with one word: Romans 12:1 is dedication and Romans 12:2 is obedience. Since you have accepted the Lord Jesus, God has a right to your whole life. It shouldn’t be difficult for you to present your body “a living and holy sacrifice” when you think of what God has done for you. So Paul points to “the mercies of God”. It is a joy to God’s heart when His mercies are answered with the sacrifice of your body, when dedication and submission are manifested in your life.

At one time you used your body to live for yourself. You were willing to receive honor for yourself because of the things you did and who you were. But your body is no longer yours. In 1 Corinthians 6 you read: “You have been bought with a price”, the price the Lord Jesus paid, and therefore you should “glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20). This is what the “holy” is all about. “Holy” means to be set apart for a certain object. Your body has been set apart with the object of glorifying God in it and with it.

How can you do this? In the way you treat your body and in what you do with it! God wants to see in your life the life of the Lord Jesus when He was here on earth. Then the sacrifice of your body will be pleasing to God as was the case with the Lord Jesus. On several occasions, God has let it be heard several times from heaven about the Lord Jesus: “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5). This pleasure is what God is looking for in your life.

God would not be pleased by an occasional pious mood or feeling without giving a thought to what you’re really doing. It is a “spiritual service of worship”, or, as it also can be translated, a “rational service”. This means it’s a way of life in which you’re conscious of everything you’re doing and not doing for the Lord. Your decisions are made in His presence.

Romans 12:2. This is important because it’s easy to let yourself be led by what’s common in the world around you. God wants to make His will clear to you. Do you ask for His will in all things? Your whole life, the way you behave, talk, act, dress and treat people, shouldn’t be conformed to this world, but must be changed completely. You don’t have to decide the way in which this change should take place. This happens from the “renewing of your mind”. Your mind used to be self-centered, but by the new life and the attitude from your new life, you now can be God-centered.

Paul wrote this as an exhortation, so it’s not an automatic change. You have to devote yourself to it to let this transformation take place. If you’re recently converted you may count on God’s patience. Not everything in which you were conformed to in this world will immediately be removed from you. God will show this to you step by step. If you have been converted for a longer time, you also need this exhortation. You can’t escape the influence of this world. Therefore, you must always make this transformation true. Is that what you want to do? That’s what it comes down to.

Only then will you be able to “prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect”. Knowing His will is an absolute necessity to show God’s mercies in your life. What a rich life will be yours if you learn to look at it this way!

Now read Romans 12:1-2 again.

Reflection: Are there things in your life that you know must be changed to please God?

1 Corinthians 1:22

What Is Your Task?

Romans 12:3. Romans 12 divides into three sections. Romans 12:1-2 form the first section that speaks about your relation with God. The third section comprises Romans 12:9-21, discussing your relation with people around you. The current section (Romans 12:3-8) is your relation with your fellow-believers. You must understand you’re not better than another; on the contrary, modesty and moderation are fitting.

God has imparted to everyone a certain amount of faith. This is exactly the amount of faith you need for the task He wants you to perform. God has done the same with your fellow-believer who also has received a task from God with the measure of faith needed for that task. Having received this from God, you can’t boast about it, can you? Even Paul didn’t do this, and he was an apostle. He addresses you and me by the grace [undeserved favor] given to him. This is how we should approach each other, realizing the grace that has been given to us.

Romans 12:4-5. He makes a comparison with the human body. A body has many members. All those members have different functions. With us, things work in a similar way, but in a spiritual sense. All believers together form one body in which every believer has his or her proper place and function. In 1 Corinthians 12 this is treated more extensively, where stress is placed on how all those members belong together. They can’t manage without one another. Here in Romans 12 we have your attitude with respect to others. You have your unique task that only you can properly fulfill.

Do you know your function? Difficult, isn’t it? There is a verse that says: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with [all] your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). In other words, look around you and you will see a lot of work.

Romans 12:6. In Romans 12:6-8 a number of these functions, there called “gifts”, are mentioned. What it comes down to is your attitude. A practical way to demonstrate the transformation of your mind is to be helpful to someone else. What counts is what we are with respect to each other (Romans 12:5). We all have received a different gift of grace from God. God didn’t give it to us to neglect it, but to start working with it.

“Prophecy” is the first gift mentioned. In 1 Peter you read a good description of prophecy, which is ”speaking the utterances [literally: oracles] of God” (1 Peter 4:11). The more you learn about God, the better you can pass on God’s thoughts. Therefore, the next thing you read is “according to the proportion of his faith”. Passing on God’s thoughts can only be according to the measure of your personal fellowship with God, according to the measure in which you have learned to trust Him in your practical life of faith.

Romans 12:7. Maybe “service” suits you better. This is a more practical way of being occupied. Archippus, in Colossians 4, was such a person (Colossians 4:17). He had to be exhorted to fulfill the ministry or service he had received from the Lord. You and I may need a similar exhortation.

Maybe there’s a ‘teacher’ hidden in you because your desire is to teach your fellow believers. In Ezra 7 you find an important order: 1. Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD. 2. Then he practiced it. 3. Then, only after doing the first two, he taught God’s statutes and ordinances in Israel (Ezra 7:10).

Romans 12:8. Then there is “exhortation”. To exhort means to encourage or to comfort, but it may also mean to point out wrong things. This is not a popular activity, but a necessary one. Believers are always in danger of backsliding from the Word. Therefore, they must be warned. Deviations always have unpleasant consequences. The object of exhortation, therefore, is to bring believers who have gone astray, back to the Lord. In James 5 you can see the blessed result this can have (James 5:19-20).

There are brothers and sisters who have the gift of ‘giving’, that is to share with others what they have. To me, this gift of grace seems much more rewarding than the preceding one. But using this gift requires spiritual exercise. It must happen “with liberality”, wisely, and without ulterior motives.

‘Leading’ is a special gift too. Being diligent in this is necessary because leading is a matter of being a good example yourself and not of handing out assignments. Nehemiah of the Old Testament is a good example of a leader.

The last gift mentioned here is to show “mercy”. There are believers who, on seeing others in misery, are ready to help them. For them it is important that they fulfill their task “with cheerfulness”. However, this is not easy because help is not always appreciated.

Paul has not given an exhaustive list. What he has tried to make clear is that every believer, including you, has a gift and this gift must be used correctly. There will certainly be something that will keep you occupied. Ask the Lord to lead you in this matter and then get busy!

Now read Romans 12:3-8 again.

Reflection: Ask the Lord to help you in seeing and performing your task.

1 Corinthians 1:23

What Is Your Task?

Romans 12:3. Romans 12 divides into three sections. Romans 12:1-2 form the first section that speaks about your relation with God. The third section comprises Romans 12:9-21, discussing your relation with people around you. The current section (Romans 12:3-8) is your relation with your fellow-believers. You must understand you’re not better than another; on the contrary, modesty and moderation are fitting.

God has imparted to everyone a certain amount of faith. This is exactly the amount of faith you need for the task He wants you to perform. God has done the same with your fellow-believer who also has received a task from God with the measure of faith needed for that task. Having received this from God, you can’t boast about it, can you? Even Paul didn’t do this, and he was an apostle. He addresses you and me by the grace [undeserved favor] given to him. This is how we should approach each other, realizing the grace that has been given to us.

Romans 12:4-5. He makes a comparison with the human body. A body has many members. All those members have different functions. With us, things work in a similar way, but in a spiritual sense. All believers together form one body in which every believer has his or her proper place and function. In 1 Corinthians 12 this is treated more extensively, where stress is placed on how all those members belong together. They can’t manage without one another. Here in Romans 12 we have your attitude with respect to others. You have your unique task that only you can properly fulfill.

Do you know your function? Difficult, isn’t it? There is a verse that says: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with [all] your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). In other words, look around you and you will see a lot of work.

Romans 12:6. In Romans 12:6-8 a number of these functions, there called “gifts”, are mentioned. What it comes down to is your attitude. A practical way to demonstrate the transformation of your mind is to be helpful to someone else. What counts is what we are with respect to each other (Romans 12:5). We all have received a different gift of grace from God. God didn’t give it to us to neglect it, but to start working with it.

“Prophecy” is the first gift mentioned. In 1 Peter you read a good description of prophecy, which is ”speaking the utterances [literally: oracles] of God” (1 Peter 4:11). The more you learn about God, the better you can pass on God’s thoughts. Therefore, the next thing you read is “according to the proportion of his faith”. Passing on God’s thoughts can only be according to the measure of your personal fellowship with God, according to the measure in which you have learned to trust Him in your practical life of faith.

Romans 12:7. Maybe “service” suits you better. This is a more practical way of being occupied. Archippus, in Colossians 4, was such a person (Colossians 4:17). He had to be exhorted to fulfill the ministry or service he had received from the Lord. You and I may need a similar exhortation.

Maybe there’s a ‘teacher’ hidden in you because your desire is to teach your fellow believers. In Ezra 7 you find an important order: 1. Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD. 2. Then he practiced it. 3. Then, only after doing the first two, he taught God’s statutes and ordinances in Israel (Ezra 7:10).

Romans 12:8. Then there is “exhortation”. To exhort means to encourage or to comfort, but it may also mean to point out wrong things. This is not a popular activity, but a necessary one. Believers are always in danger of backsliding from the Word. Therefore, they must be warned. Deviations always have unpleasant consequences. The object of exhortation, therefore, is to bring believers who have gone astray, back to the Lord. In James 5 you can see the blessed result this can have (James 5:19-20).

There are brothers and sisters who have the gift of ‘giving’, that is to share with others what they have. To me, this gift of grace seems much more rewarding than the preceding one. But using this gift requires spiritual exercise. It must happen “with liberality”, wisely, and without ulterior motives.

‘Leading’ is a special gift too. Being diligent in this is necessary because leading is a matter of being a good example yourself and not of handing out assignments. Nehemiah of the Old Testament is a good example of a leader.

The last gift mentioned here is to show “mercy”. There are believers who, on seeing others in misery, are ready to help them. For them it is important that they fulfill their task “with cheerfulness”. However, this is not easy because help is not always appreciated.

Paul has not given an exhaustive list. What he has tried to make clear is that every believer, including you, has a gift and this gift must be used correctly. There will certainly be something that will keep you occupied. Ask the Lord to lead you in this matter and then get busy!

Now read Romans 12:3-8 again.

Reflection: Ask the Lord to help you in seeing and performing your task.

1 Corinthians 1:24

What Is Your Task?

Romans 12:3. Romans 12 divides into three sections. Romans 12:1-2 form the first section that speaks about your relation with God. The third section comprises Romans 12:9-21, discussing your relation with people around you. The current section (Romans 12:3-8) is your relation with your fellow-believers. You must understand you’re not better than another; on the contrary, modesty and moderation are fitting.

God has imparted to everyone a certain amount of faith. This is exactly the amount of faith you need for the task He wants you to perform. God has done the same with your fellow-believer who also has received a task from God with the measure of faith needed for that task. Having received this from God, you can’t boast about it, can you? Even Paul didn’t do this, and he was an apostle. He addresses you and me by the grace [undeserved favor] given to him. This is how we should approach each other, realizing the grace that has been given to us.

Romans 12:4-5. He makes a comparison with the human body. A body has many members. All those members have different functions. With us, things work in a similar way, but in a spiritual sense. All believers together form one body in which every believer has his or her proper place and function. In 1 Corinthians 12 this is treated more extensively, where stress is placed on how all those members belong together. They can’t manage without one another. Here in Romans 12 we have your attitude with respect to others. You have your unique task that only you can properly fulfill.

Do you know your function? Difficult, isn’t it? There is a verse that says: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with [all] your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). In other words, look around you and you will see a lot of work.

Romans 12:6. In Romans 12:6-8 a number of these functions, there called “gifts”, are mentioned. What it comes down to is your attitude. A practical way to demonstrate the transformation of your mind is to be helpful to someone else. What counts is what we are with respect to each other (Romans 12:5). We all have received a different gift of grace from God. God didn’t give it to us to neglect it, but to start working with it.

“Prophecy” is the first gift mentioned. In 1 Peter you read a good description of prophecy, which is ”speaking the utterances [literally: oracles] of God” (1 Peter 4:11). The more you learn about God, the better you can pass on God’s thoughts. Therefore, the next thing you read is “according to the proportion of his faith”. Passing on God’s thoughts can only be according to the measure of your personal fellowship with God, according to the measure in which you have learned to trust Him in your practical life of faith.

Romans 12:7. Maybe “service” suits you better. This is a more practical way of being occupied. Archippus, in Colossians 4, was such a person (Colossians 4:17). He had to be exhorted to fulfill the ministry or service he had received from the Lord. You and I may need a similar exhortation.

Maybe there’s a ‘teacher’ hidden in you because your desire is to teach your fellow believers. In Ezra 7 you find an important order: 1. Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD. 2. Then he practiced it. 3. Then, only after doing the first two, he taught God’s statutes and ordinances in Israel (Ezra 7:10).

Romans 12:8. Then there is “exhortation”. To exhort means to encourage or to comfort, but it may also mean to point out wrong things. This is not a popular activity, but a necessary one. Believers are always in danger of backsliding from the Word. Therefore, they must be warned. Deviations always have unpleasant consequences. The object of exhortation, therefore, is to bring believers who have gone astray, back to the Lord. In James 5 you can see the blessed result this can have (James 5:19-20).

There are brothers and sisters who have the gift of ‘giving’, that is to share with others what they have. To me, this gift of grace seems much more rewarding than the preceding one. But using this gift requires spiritual exercise. It must happen “with liberality”, wisely, and without ulterior motives.

‘Leading’ is a special gift too. Being diligent in this is necessary because leading is a matter of being a good example yourself and not of handing out assignments. Nehemiah of the Old Testament is a good example of a leader.

The last gift mentioned here is to show “mercy”. There are believers who, on seeing others in misery, are ready to help them. For them it is important that they fulfill their task “with cheerfulness”. However, this is not easy because help is not always appreciated.

Paul has not given an exhaustive list. What he has tried to make clear is that every believer, including you, has a gift and this gift must be used correctly. There will certainly be something that will keep you occupied. Ask the Lord to lead you in this matter and then get busy!

Now read Romans 12:3-8 again.

Reflection: Ask the Lord to help you in seeing and performing your task.

1 Corinthians 1:25

What Is Your Task?

Romans 12:3. Romans 12 divides into three sections. Romans 12:1-2 form the first section that speaks about your relation with God. The third section comprises Romans 12:9-21, discussing your relation with people around you. The current section (Romans 12:3-8) is your relation with your fellow-believers. You must understand you’re not better than another; on the contrary, modesty and moderation are fitting.

God has imparted to everyone a certain amount of faith. This is exactly the amount of faith you need for the task He wants you to perform. God has done the same with your fellow-believer who also has received a task from God with the measure of faith needed for that task. Having received this from God, you can’t boast about it, can you? Even Paul didn’t do this, and he was an apostle. He addresses you and me by the grace [undeserved favor] given to him. This is how we should approach each other, realizing the grace that has been given to us.

Romans 12:4-5. He makes a comparison with the human body. A body has many members. All those members have different functions. With us, things work in a similar way, but in a spiritual sense. All believers together form one body in which every believer has his or her proper place and function. In 1 Corinthians 12 this is treated more extensively, where stress is placed on how all those members belong together. They can’t manage without one another. Here in Romans 12 we have your attitude with respect to others. You have your unique task that only you can properly fulfill.

Do you know your function? Difficult, isn’t it? There is a verse that says: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with [all] your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). In other words, look around you and you will see a lot of work.

Romans 12:6. In Romans 12:6-8 a number of these functions, there called “gifts”, are mentioned. What it comes down to is your attitude. A practical way to demonstrate the transformation of your mind is to be helpful to someone else. What counts is what we are with respect to each other (Romans 12:5). We all have received a different gift of grace from God. God didn’t give it to us to neglect it, but to start working with it.

“Prophecy” is the first gift mentioned. In 1 Peter you read a good description of prophecy, which is ”speaking the utterances [literally: oracles] of God” (1 Peter 4:11). The more you learn about God, the better you can pass on God’s thoughts. Therefore, the next thing you read is “according to the proportion of his faith”. Passing on God’s thoughts can only be according to the measure of your personal fellowship with God, according to the measure in which you have learned to trust Him in your practical life of faith.

Romans 12:7. Maybe “service” suits you better. This is a more practical way of being occupied. Archippus, in Colossians 4, was such a person (Colossians 4:17). He had to be exhorted to fulfill the ministry or service he had received from the Lord. You and I may need a similar exhortation.

Maybe there’s a ‘teacher’ hidden in you because your desire is to teach your fellow believers. In Ezra 7 you find an important order: 1. Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD. 2. Then he practiced it. 3. Then, only after doing the first two, he taught God’s statutes and ordinances in Israel (Ezra 7:10).

Romans 12:8. Then there is “exhortation”. To exhort means to encourage or to comfort, but it may also mean to point out wrong things. This is not a popular activity, but a necessary one. Believers are always in danger of backsliding from the Word. Therefore, they must be warned. Deviations always have unpleasant consequences. The object of exhortation, therefore, is to bring believers who have gone astray, back to the Lord. In James 5 you can see the blessed result this can have (James 5:19-20).

There are brothers and sisters who have the gift of ‘giving’, that is to share with others what they have. To me, this gift of grace seems much more rewarding than the preceding one. But using this gift requires spiritual exercise. It must happen “with liberality”, wisely, and without ulterior motives.

‘Leading’ is a special gift too. Being diligent in this is necessary because leading is a matter of being a good example yourself and not of handing out assignments. Nehemiah of the Old Testament is a good example of a leader.

The last gift mentioned here is to show “mercy”. There are believers who, on seeing others in misery, are ready to help them. For them it is important that they fulfill their task “with cheerfulness”. However, this is not easy because help is not always appreciated.

Paul has not given an exhaustive list. What he has tried to make clear is that every believer, including you, has a gift and this gift must be used correctly. There will certainly be something that will keep you occupied. Ask the Lord to lead you in this matter and then get busy!

Now read Romans 12:3-8 again.

Reflection: Ask the Lord to help you in seeing and performing your task.

1 Corinthians 1:26

What Is Your Task?

Romans 12:3. Romans 12 divides into three sections. Romans 12:1-2 form the first section that speaks about your relation with God. The third section comprises Romans 12:9-21, discussing your relation with people around you. The current section (Romans 12:3-8) is your relation with your fellow-believers. You must understand you’re not better than another; on the contrary, modesty and moderation are fitting.

God has imparted to everyone a certain amount of faith. This is exactly the amount of faith you need for the task He wants you to perform. God has done the same with your fellow-believer who also has received a task from God with the measure of faith needed for that task. Having received this from God, you can’t boast about it, can you? Even Paul didn’t do this, and he was an apostle. He addresses you and me by the grace [undeserved favor] given to him. This is how we should approach each other, realizing the grace that has been given to us.

Romans 12:4-5. He makes a comparison with the human body. A body has many members. All those members have different functions. With us, things work in a similar way, but in a spiritual sense. All believers together form one body in which every believer has his or her proper place and function. In 1 Corinthians 12 this is treated more extensively, where stress is placed on how all those members belong together. They can’t manage without one another. Here in Romans 12 we have your attitude with respect to others. You have your unique task that only you can properly fulfill.

Do you know your function? Difficult, isn’t it? There is a verse that says: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with [all] your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). In other words, look around you and you will see a lot of work.

Romans 12:6. In Romans 12:6-8 a number of these functions, there called “gifts”, are mentioned. What it comes down to is your attitude. A practical way to demonstrate the transformation of your mind is to be helpful to someone else. What counts is what we are with respect to each other (Romans 12:5). We all have received a different gift of grace from God. God didn’t give it to us to neglect it, but to start working with it.

“Prophecy” is the first gift mentioned. In 1 Peter you read a good description of prophecy, which is ”speaking the utterances [literally: oracles] of God” (1 Peter 4:11). The more you learn about God, the better you can pass on God’s thoughts. Therefore, the next thing you read is “according to the proportion of his faith”. Passing on God’s thoughts can only be according to the measure of your personal fellowship with God, according to the measure in which you have learned to trust Him in your practical life of faith.

Romans 12:7. Maybe “service” suits you better. This is a more practical way of being occupied. Archippus, in Colossians 4, was such a person (Colossians 4:17). He had to be exhorted to fulfill the ministry or service he had received from the Lord. You and I may need a similar exhortation.

Maybe there’s a ‘teacher’ hidden in you because your desire is to teach your fellow believers. In Ezra 7 you find an important order: 1. Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD. 2. Then he practiced it. 3. Then, only after doing the first two, he taught God’s statutes and ordinances in Israel (Ezra 7:10).

Romans 12:8. Then there is “exhortation”. To exhort means to encourage or to comfort, but it may also mean to point out wrong things. This is not a popular activity, but a necessary one. Believers are always in danger of backsliding from the Word. Therefore, they must be warned. Deviations always have unpleasant consequences. The object of exhortation, therefore, is to bring believers who have gone astray, back to the Lord. In James 5 you can see the blessed result this can have (James 5:19-20).

There are brothers and sisters who have the gift of ‘giving’, that is to share with others what they have. To me, this gift of grace seems much more rewarding than the preceding one. But using this gift requires spiritual exercise. It must happen “with liberality”, wisely, and without ulterior motives.

‘Leading’ is a special gift too. Being diligent in this is necessary because leading is a matter of being a good example yourself and not of handing out assignments. Nehemiah of the Old Testament is a good example of a leader.

The last gift mentioned here is to show “mercy”. There are believers who, on seeing others in misery, are ready to help them. For them it is important that they fulfill their task “with cheerfulness”. However, this is not easy because help is not always appreciated.

Paul has not given an exhaustive list. What he has tried to make clear is that every believer, including you, has a gift and this gift must be used correctly. There will certainly be something that will keep you occupied. Ask the Lord to lead you in this matter and then get busy!

Now read Romans 12:3-8 again.

Reflection: Ask the Lord to help you in seeing and performing your task.

1 Corinthians 1:27

What Is Your Task?

Romans 12:3. Romans 12 divides into three sections. Romans 12:1-2 form the first section that speaks about your relation with God. The third section comprises Romans 12:9-21, discussing your relation with people around you. The current section (Romans 12:3-8) is your relation with your fellow-believers. You must understand you’re not better than another; on the contrary, modesty and moderation are fitting.

God has imparted to everyone a certain amount of faith. This is exactly the amount of faith you need for the task He wants you to perform. God has done the same with your fellow-believer who also has received a task from God with the measure of faith needed for that task. Having received this from God, you can’t boast about it, can you? Even Paul didn’t do this, and he was an apostle. He addresses you and me by the grace [undeserved favor] given to him. This is how we should approach each other, realizing the grace that has been given to us.

Romans 12:4-5. He makes a comparison with the human body. A body has many members. All those members have different functions. With us, things work in a similar way, but in a spiritual sense. All believers together form one body in which every believer has his or her proper place and function. In 1 Corinthians 12 this is treated more extensively, where stress is placed on how all those members belong together. They can’t manage without one another. Here in Romans 12 we have your attitude with respect to others. You have your unique task that only you can properly fulfill.

Do you know your function? Difficult, isn’t it? There is a verse that says: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with [all] your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). In other words, look around you and you will see a lot of work.

Romans 12:6. In Romans 12:6-8 a number of these functions, there called “gifts”, are mentioned. What it comes down to is your attitude. A practical way to demonstrate the transformation of your mind is to be helpful to someone else. What counts is what we are with respect to each other (Romans 12:5). We all have received a different gift of grace from God. God didn’t give it to us to neglect it, but to start working with it.

“Prophecy” is the first gift mentioned. In 1 Peter you read a good description of prophecy, which is ”speaking the utterances [literally: oracles] of God” (1 Peter 4:11). The more you learn about God, the better you can pass on God’s thoughts. Therefore, the next thing you read is “according to the proportion of his faith”. Passing on God’s thoughts can only be according to the measure of your personal fellowship with God, according to the measure in which you have learned to trust Him in your practical life of faith.

Romans 12:7. Maybe “service” suits you better. This is a more practical way of being occupied. Archippus, in Colossians 4, was such a person (Colossians 4:17). He had to be exhorted to fulfill the ministry or service he had received from the Lord. You and I may need a similar exhortation.

Maybe there’s a ‘teacher’ hidden in you because your desire is to teach your fellow believers. In Ezra 7 you find an important order: 1. Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD. 2. Then he practiced it. 3. Then, only after doing the first two, he taught God’s statutes and ordinances in Israel (Ezra 7:10).

Romans 12:8. Then there is “exhortation”. To exhort means to encourage or to comfort, but it may also mean to point out wrong things. This is not a popular activity, but a necessary one. Believers are always in danger of backsliding from the Word. Therefore, they must be warned. Deviations always have unpleasant consequences. The object of exhortation, therefore, is to bring believers who have gone astray, back to the Lord. In James 5 you can see the blessed result this can have (James 5:19-20).

There are brothers and sisters who have the gift of ‘giving’, that is to share with others what they have. To me, this gift of grace seems much more rewarding than the preceding one. But using this gift requires spiritual exercise. It must happen “with liberality”, wisely, and without ulterior motives.

‘Leading’ is a special gift too. Being diligent in this is necessary because leading is a matter of being a good example yourself and not of handing out assignments. Nehemiah of the Old Testament is a good example of a leader.

The last gift mentioned here is to show “mercy”. There are believers who, on seeing others in misery, are ready to help them. For them it is important that they fulfill their task “with cheerfulness”. However, this is not easy because help is not always appreciated.

Paul has not given an exhaustive list. What he has tried to make clear is that every believer, including you, has a gift and this gift must be used correctly. There will certainly be something that will keep you occupied. Ask the Lord to lead you in this matter and then get busy!

Now read Romans 12:3-8 again.

Reflection: Ask the Lord to help you in seeing and performing your task.

1 Corinthians 1:28

Rules for the Christian Life – I

In this passage we have a whole series of different exhortations. All deal with everyday life and are presented in short, pointed sentences. Take your time to understand the meaning of each sentence. Try to connect each one with the Person of the Lord Jesus. He showed all these things every single day of His life, as seen in the Gospels. But since you have come to know how God sees you, through the work of the Lord Jesus, He therefore expects you to behave as it is written in this part of Romans 12. It is not so much your outward appearance as the tone, way and spirit of your life. Note how everything is directly opposed to the usual behavior of people in the world.

Romans 12:9. The passage begins with “love”. Love must be “without hypocrisy”, which means without hidden purposes. This is how the Lord Jesus was. You would not find this in the world. Often people only want to contribute to a charitable work if the amount is made known along with the name of the giver.

Love must be channeled since we live in a world full of evil things. There is always the danger of expressing love wrongly. The first thing love makes you experience in this world is to “abhor what is evil”. This is what you can see with the Lord Jesus. How do you feel when you come into contact with some kind of evil? Do you abhor it? Sometimes you don’t know if something is good or evil, but if something is clearly evil you will abhor it.

This may cause people to criticize you for having a negative attitude, for never joining in, or as someone without desire for excitement. Then there is another side, that is to “cling to what is good”. The good is what you find with the Lord Jesus. He is the good One. Everything good comes from Him.

Romans 12:10. Here “brotherly love” is mentioned. In this evil world there is a unique type of fellowship called the fellowship of the brethren. All those who are children of God belong to it. In this verse you are exhorted to be “devoted to one another”. This verse speaks of your spiritual family. In the world, true devotion is scarce. People in the world are strangers to each other.

To “give preference to one another in honor” is uncommon in the world. There, the desire is obtaining as much honor for yourself as possible. Among brothers and sisters in Christ it is the other way around; at least this is how it ought to be. Therefore we must give preference in honoring others in such a way that sets an example to others.

Romans 12:11. “Not lagging behind in diligence” also is an exhortation. People may call you a fanatic, but being zealous is an important characteristic of a Christian. Zeal for God’s house consumed the Lord Jesus (John 2:17). The question is simply for what or whom are you zealous?

Are you “fervent in spirit”? Your zeal, commitment and motivation may contribute to the last words in Romans 12:11 “serving the Lord”. Serving the Lord is willingly serving Him as a slave. Then you are completely at His disposal. He decides what you have and do not have to do. This includes your time, your strength and your capabilities. He wants to use everything. The Lord redeemed you from the power of sin. He now wants your body as a living sacrifice.

Romans 12:12. In the future you have a “hope”, a prospect in which to rejoice. The Lord will soon come. Then you will be with Him forever. With this future in view it is possible to be “persevering in tribulation”.

You are aware too, of the necessity of “prayer”. This is how the Lord Jesus lived down here. In Psalms 109 He says: “I am [in] prayer” (Psalms 109:4). All through His life He was in touch with His God and Father.

Romans 12:13. With Him you can see how much He was thinking of others. He didn’t live for Himself, and this is something you also can do. In addition, there are “the saints” who have “needs”. You may share what you have with them and contribute to their needs.

Also, practice “hospitality”. The word ”hospitality” literally means ‘love for strangers’. The only other occurrence is in Hebrews 13 where you read about the blessings that showing hospitality brings (Hebrews 13:2).

Now read Romans 12:9-13 again.

Reflection: Use these verses as a check list to see how much these ‘rules’ are visible in your life.

1 Corinthians 1:29

Rules for the Christian Life – I

In this passage we have a whole series of different exhortations. All deal with everyday life and are presented in short, pointed sentences. Take your time to understand the meaning of each sentence. Try to connect each one with the Person of the Lord Jesus. He showed all these things every single day of His life, as seen in the Gospels. But since you have come to know how God sees you, through the work of the Lord Jesus, He therefore expects you to behave as it is written in this part of Romans 12. It is not so much your outward appearance as the tone, way and spirit of your life. Note how everything is directly opposed to the usual behavior of people in the world.

Romans 12:9. The passage begins with “love”. Love must be “without hypocrisy”, which means without hidden purposes. This is how the Lord Jesus was. You would not find this in the world. Often people only want to contribute to a charitable work if the amount is made known along with the name of the giver.

Love must be channeled since we live in a world full of evil things. There is always the danger of expressing love wrongly. The first thing love makes you experience in this world is to “abhor what is evil”. This is what you can see with the Lord Jesus. How do you feel when you come into contact with some kind of evil? Do you abhor it? Sometimes you don’t know if something is good or evil, but if something is clearly evil you will abhor it.

This may cause people to criticize you for having a negative attitude, for never joining in, or as someone without desire for excitement. Then there is another side, that is to “cling to what is good”. The good is what you find with the Lord Jesus. He is the good One. Everything good comes from Him.

Romans 12:10. Here “brotherly love” is mentioned. In this evil world there is a unique type of fellowship called the fellowship of the brethren. All those who are children of God belong to it. In this verse you are exhorted to be “devoted to one another”. This verse speaks of your spiritual family. In the world, true devotion is scarce. People in the world are strangers to each other.

To “give preference to one another in honor” is uncommon in the world. There, the desire is obtaining as much honor for yourself as possible. Among brothers and sisters in Christ it is the other way around; at least this is how it ought to be. Therefore we must give preference in honoring others in such a way that sets an example to others.

Romans 12:11. “Not lagging behind in diligence” also is an exhortation. People may call you a fanatic, but being zealous is an important characteristic of a Christian. Zeal for God’s house consumed the Lord Jesus (John 2:17). The question is simply for what or whom are you zealous?

Are you “fervent in spirit”? Your zeal, commitment and motivation may contribute to the last words in Romans 12:11 “serving the Lord”. Serving the Lord is willingly serving Him as a slave. Then you are completely at His disposal. He decides what you have and do not have to do. This includes your time, your strength and your capabilities. He wants to use everything. The Lord redeemed you from the power of sin. He now wants your body as a living sacrifice.

Romans 12:12. In the future you have a “hope”, a prospect in which to rejoice. The Lord will soon come. Then you will be with Him forever. With this future in view it is possible to be “persevering in tribulation”.

You are aware too, of the necessity of “prayer”. This is how the Lord Jesus lived down here. In Psalms 109 He says: “I am [in] prayer” (Psalms 109:4). All through His life He was in touch with His God and Father.

Romans 12:13. With Him you can see how much He was thinking of others. He didn’t live for Himself, and this is something you also can do. In addition, there are “the saints” who have “needs”. You may share what you have with them and contribute to their needs.

Also, practice “hospitality”. The word ”hospitality” literally means ‘love for strangers’. The only other occurrence is in Hebrews 13 where you read about the blessings that showing hospitality brings (Hebrews 13:2).

Now read Romans 12:9-13 again.

Reflection: Use these verses as a check list to see how much these ‘rules’ are visible in your life.

1 Corinthians 1:30

Rules for the Christian Life – I

In this passage we have a whole series of different exhortations. All deal with everyday life and are presented in short, pointed sentences. Take your time to understand the meaning of each sentence. Try to connect each one with the Person of the Lord Jesus. He showed all these things every single day of His life, as seen in the Gospels. But since you have come to know how God sees you, through the work of the Lord Jesus, He therefore expects you to behave as it is written in this part of Romans 12. It is not so much your outward appearance as the tone, way and spirit of your life. Note how everything is directly opposed to the usual behavior of people in the world.

Romans 12:9. The passage begins with “love”. Love must be “without hypocrisy”, which means without hidden purposes. This is how the Lord Jesus was. You would not find this in the world. Often people only want to contribute to a charitable work if the amount is made known along with the name of the giver.

Love must be channeled since we live in a world full of evil things. There is always the danger of expressing love wrongly. The first thing love makes you experience in this world is to “abhor what is evil”. This is what you can see with the Lord Jesus. How do you feel when you come into contact with some kind of evil? Do you abhor it? Sometimes you don’t know if something is good or evil, but if something is clearly evil you will abhor it.

This may cause people to criticize you for having a negative attitude, for never joining in, or as someone without desire for excitement. Then there is another side, that is to “cling to what is good”. The good is what you find with the Lord Jesus. He is the good One. Everything good comes from Him.

Romans 12:10. Here “brotherly love” is mentioned. In this evil world there is a unique type of fellowship called the fellowship of the brethren. All those who are children of God belong to it. In this verse you are exhorted to be “devoted to one another”. This verse speaks of your spiritual family. In the world, true devotion is scarce. People in the world are strangers to each other.

To “give preference to one another in honor” is uncommon in the world. There, the desire is obtaining as much honor for yourself as possible. Among brothers and sisters in Christ it is the other way around; at least this is how it ought to be. Therefore we must give preference in honoring others in such a way that sets an example to others.

Romans 12:11. “Not lagging behind in diligence” also is an exhortation. People may call you a fanatic, but being zealous is an important characteristic of a Christian. Zeal for God’s house consumed the Lord Jesus (John 2:17). The question is simply for what or whom are you zealous?

Are you “fervent in spirit”? Your zeal, commitment and motivation may contribute to the last words in Romans 12:11 “serving the Lord”. Serving the Lord is willingly serving Him as a slave. Then you are completely at His disposal. He decides what you have and do not have to do. This includes your time, your strength and your capabilities. He wants to use everything. The Lord redeemed you from the power of sin. He now wants your body as a living sacrifice.

Romans 12:12. In the future you have a “hope”, a prospect in which to rejoice. The Lord will soon come. Then you will be with Him forever. With this future in view it is possible to be “persevering in tribulation”.

You are aware too, of the necessity of “prayer”. This is how the Lord Jesus lived down here. In Psalms 109 He says: “I am [in] prayer” (Psalms 109:4). All through His life He was in touch with His God and Father.

Romans 12:13. With Him you can see how much He was thinking of others. He didn’t live for Himself, and this is something you also can do. In addition, there are “the saints” who have “needs”. You may share what you have with them and contribute to their needs.

Also, practice “hospitality”. The word ”hospitality” literally means ‘love for strangers’. The only other occurrence is in Hebrews 13 where you read about the blessings that showing hospitality brings (Hebrews 13:2).

Now read Romans 12:9-13 again.

Reflection: Use these verses as a check list to see how much these ‘rules’ are visible in your life.

1 Corinthians 1:31

Rules for the Christian Life – I

In this passage we have a whole series of different exhortations. All deal with everyday life and are presented in short, pointed sentences. Take your time to understand the meaning of each sentence. Try to connect each one with the Person of the Lord Jesus. He showed all these things every single day of His life, as seen in the Gospels. But since you have come to know how God sees you, through the work of the Lord Jesus, He therefore expects you to behave as it is written in this part of Romans 12. It is not so much your outward appearance as the tone, way and spirit of your life. Note how everything is directly opposed to the usual behavior of people in the world.

Romans 12:9. The passage begins with “love”. Love must be “without hypocrisy”, which means without hidden purposes. This is how the Lord Jesus was. You would not find this in the world. Often people only want to contribute to a charitable work if the amount is made known along with the name of the giver.

Love must be channeled since we live in a world full of evil things. There is always the danger of expressing love wrongly. The first thing love makes you experience in this world is to “abhor what is evil”. This is what you can see with the Lord Jesus. How do you feel when you come into contact with some kind of evil? Do you abhor it? Sometimes you don’t know if something is good or evil, but if something is clearly evil you will abhor it.

This may cause people to criticize you for having a negative attitude, for never joining in, or as someone without desire for excitement. Then there is another side, that is to “cling to what is good”. The good is what you find with the Lord Jesus. He is the good One. Everything good comes from Him.

Romans 12:10. Here “brotherly love” is mentioned. In this evil world there is a unique type of fellowship called the fellowship of the brethren. All those who are children of God belong to it. In this verse you are exhorted to be “devoted to one another”. This verse speaks of your spiritual family. In the world, true devotion is scarce. People in the world are strangers to each other.

To “give preference to one another in honor” is uncommon in the world. There, the desire is obtaining as much honor for yourself as possible. Among brothers and sisters in Christ it is the other way around; at least this is how it ought to be. Therefore we must give preference in honoring others in such a way that sets an example to others.

Romans 12:11. “Not lagging behind in diligence” also is an exhortation. People may call you a fanatic, but being zealous is an important characteristic of a Christian. Zeal for God’s house consumed the Lord Jesus (John 2:17). The question is simply for what or whom are you zealous?

Are you “fervent in spirit”? Your zeal, commitment and motivation may contribute to the last words in Romans 12:11 “serving the Lord”. Serving the Lord is willingly serving Him as a slave. Then you are completely at His disposal. He decides what you have and do not have to do. This includes your time, your strength and your capabilities. He wants to use everything. The Lord redeemed you from the power of sin. He now wants your body as a living sacrifice.

Romans 12:12. In the future you have a “hope”, a prospect in which to rejoice. The Lord will soon come. Then you will be with Him forever. With this future in view it is possible to be “persevering in tribulation”.

You are aware too, of the necessity of “prayer”. This is how the Lord Jesus lived down here. In Psalms 109 He says: “I am [in] prayer” (Psalms 109:4). All through His life He was in touch with His God and Father.

Romans 12:13. With Him you can see how much He was thinking of others. He didn’t live for Himself, and this is something you also can do. In addition, there are “the saints” who have “needs”. You may share what you have with them and contribute to their needs.

Also, practice “hospitality”. The word ”hospitality” literally means ‘love for strangers’. The only other occurrence is in Hebrews 13 where you read about the blessings that showing hospitality brings (Hebrews 13:2).

Now read Romans 12:9-13 again.

Reflection: Use these verses as a check list to see how much these ‘rules’ are visible in your life.