From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>
To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"
Sent: Mon, Aug 1, 2022 at 6:18 AM
Subject: 8-1-22 THOUGHTS
8-1-22 THOUGHTS
Our reading this morning is more challenging than comforting. We need both Church! There’s a verse at the end of this reading that we need to consider for a time. Paul speaks of some Gentiles who didn’t have the law (they were not God’s Chosen) doing instinctively the things of the Law, becoming a law unto themselves. By this they showed that the law was “written in their hearts”. Paul then says “their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,”. In this reading, Paul uses “contrasting” to make his points. “Those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life” are set over against “those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness”. We must let GOD’S WORD TRAIN our conscience! It must serve the dual task of ACCUSING or EXCUSING! We need both! Finally, we have “no secrets”!
There is much thought available in this passage area!
Rom 2:1-16 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3 But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
My Prayer:
O God, who will judge our secrets in the end, have mercy on us and help us to be “pure in heart” in every way. Write Your mind in our hearts through your word and your Spirit. Take selfish ambitions far from us. Teach us to die to self that we might live to You. Train our consciences to serve us well as we seek You. We love and praise and honor Your great name. It’s always in Jesus’ name that we pray. Amen.