You're an employee of the one you obey. You better examine your compensation package. Biblia.com Romans 6:1–23 (NIV) This week we've been working our way through this entire chapter. We read vss. 1-4 Monday and vss. 5-10 Tuesday , vss. 11-14 yesterday . We'll finish the chapter today. 6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2   By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3   Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4   We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5  For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7  because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. 8  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9  For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10  The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11  In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13  Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14  For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. 15  What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16  Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17  But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18  You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 19  I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20  When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21  What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 13 - Assurance No Inducement to Carelessness The renewed confidence of perseverance does not produce immorality or lack of concern for godliness in those put back on their feet after a fall, but it produces a much greater concern to observe carefully the ways of the Lord which he prepared in advance. They observe these ways in order that by walking in them they may maintain the assurance of their perseverance, lest, by their abuse of his fatherly goodness, the face of the gracious God (for the godly, looking upon his face is sweeter than life, but its withdrawal is more bitter than death) turn away from them again, with the result that they fall into greater anguish of spirit. Summary Paul returns to the literary device he began this chapter with as he now begins to wrap it up - the diatribe. That's where he baits the reader by asking a rhetorical question that echoes their own thoughts. Paul ended yesterday's passage with the revelation that you are not under the law, but under grace! What's your first inclination when you're told that you're not under the law? It's probably not far from Paul's rhetorical question. If there's no law telling you 'no,' then why not just do what you want to do? Why not answer every salacious temptation with a resounding 'yes?' Or, as Paul puts it, shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? But just as this second rhetorical question is very similar to the first, the answer is exactly the same: by no means! No way. Absolutely not. Literally, may such a thought never exist! Remember the primary point here in Romans 6 is that since you have been united with Christ in a death like His, you certainly also will be united with Him in a resurrection like His. You are united to Christ in every way. This certainly gives you all the benefits of Christ - His atonement and perfect righteousness - but it does not make you an equal with Christ. You and I remain subordinate; He's the Master, we're the slaves. Slavery doesn't sound very appealing. But you need to understand it's your only choice. Pure, independent freedom isn't possible (for lots of good reasons which we don't have time for today). The only choice you do have is who/what you're enslaved to: either sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness. Your actions make the choice for you: you are a slave of the one you obey . The good news is that although you used to be a slave to sin, you have been set free and have become a slave to righteousness! So obey your Lord!   Dig Deeper   Yesterday we noted the importance of spiritual accounting, in that you must count yourself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Paul picks up on this business metaphor to close the chapter out by asking another rhetorical question: what benefit did you reap from the things you are now ashamed of? What was the profit (literally: fruit )? Once again Paul provides another reminder of your change in status. Since this time he describes it using economic language, we'll paraphrase using terms a bit more familiar to our day and age: You have been released from sin's employment and you now work for God. The profit you now reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. That's an unbeatable profit margin! The final verse - one of the most famous in the whole Bible - continues with the economic imagery. The wages of sin is death. This demonstrates the absolute justice and fairness of God. If you keep working for sin, you will be paid exactly what you deserve. But our economic paradigms are blown apart by the second half of the formula. Eternal life is not the wage of righteousness. You don't earn it. It's a gift . It can only be achieved in Christ Jesus our Lord. In other words, eternal life is only given to those who've been united with Christ. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father who has set us free from sin and made us slaves to righteousness; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will live and work hard in every regard for your Master; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 14

You need to take a spiritual accounting of your life. Photo credit: Carlos Muza, via Unsplash Romans 6:1–14 (NIV) This week we'll be working our way through this entire chapter. We read vss. 1-4 Monday and vss. 5-10 yesterday . 6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2   By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3   Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4   We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5  For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7  because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. 8  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9  For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10  The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11  In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13  Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14  For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 13 - Assurance No Inducement to Carelessness The renewed confidence of perseverance does not produce immorality or lack of concern for godliness in those put back on their feet after a fall, but it produces a much greater concern to observe carefully the ways of the Lord which he prepared in advance. They observe these ways in order that by walking in them they may maintain the assurance of their perseverance, lest, by their abuse of his fatherly goodness, the face of the gracious God (for the godly, looking upon his face is sweeter than life, but its withdrawal is more bitter than death) turn away from them again, with the result that they fall into greater anguish of spirit. Summary We've spent the last two days reading through Romans 6, which tells us a shocking truth: Christians are dead! You were baptized into Christ's death (v3), and buried with Him through baptism into death (v4). Paul even moves on past the metaphorical, indicating that a part of you - your old self - was actually crucified with Jesus. It's so easy to quickly move past this reality of our inclusion in Christ's death in order to get to the rich benefit it brings: since you were united with Him in a death like His, you will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His (v5) . And that's definitely worth celebrating! It makes sense that so many of the songs we sing together praise God for this new and eternal life that He's given us in Christ! But Paul slows you down in today's opening verse. Don't lose sight of your new life, but you also need to continually remind yourself that you're dead . Paul uses an accounting term in telling you to count yourself dead to sin. A good businessman emotionally detaches himself from his business in order to make sound decisions that will benefit his company. He may really like a particular product, service, or employee, but be willing to cut it if the accountant says it's detrimental to his bottom line. This is what you're commanded to do here: to often take a step back, dispassionately take an accounting of your life and cut out the parts that pull you away from Christ and towards sin, even if you really like those parts of your life. Counting yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus changes the way you think about and evaluate everything you do.   Dig Deeper   Your English teacher likely taught you not to mix your metaphors. That's good advice, but Paul doesn't follow it. He only sticks with the accounting metaphor for one sentence before moving on to another: the relationship between a king and his subjects. Don't let sin reign in your mortal body; don't be an instrument (literally: weapon ) of wickedness; sin shall no longer be your master (literally: have dominion or be your lord / ruler ). The enemy's most successful temptation is to offer you freedom. That's what he successfully tempted Adam with in the garden and what he continues to tempt you with: don't let anyone else tell you what to do... just do whatever feels right to you. This is an insidious lie. The reality is that you will always be subject to something, either to God or wickedness (literally: unrighteousness - notice this word is negative, in that it can't be fully defined; anything that's not righteous is wicked). Every one of the imperatives in today's passage is in the active tense. What this means is that you must take these actions, because if you remain passive, sin will reign, you will obey its evil desires, and you will be used as a weapon of wickedness. Do not let this happen. Instead, actively offer yourself to God as one who has been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness . AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father who has brought us from death to life ; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the insight and clarity to often take an accounting of your life, and that you'll count yourself dead to sin and alive to Christ; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 13

Amazing grace saved a wretch like you, so stop thinking of yourself as wretched. Heartlight.org Romans 6:1–4 (NIV) This week we'll be working our way through this entire chapter. We read vss. 1-4 yesterday . 6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2   By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3   Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4   We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5  For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7  because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. 8  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9  For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10  The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 13 - Assurance No Inducement to Carelessness The renewed confidence of perseverance does not produce immorality or lack of concern for godliness in those put back on their feet after a fall, but it produces a much greater concern to observe carefully the ways of the Lord which he prepared in advance. They observe these ways in order that by walking in them they may maintain the assurance of their perseverance, lest, by their abuse of his fatherly goodness, the face of the gracious God (for the godly, looking upon his face is sweeter than life, but its withdrawal is more bitter than death) turn away from them again, with the result that they fall into greater anguish of spirit. Summary One of the most dangerous phenomenons in western civilization is a lifestyle often referred to as cultural Christianity. Cultural Christians believe in God, that Jesus came into a world that ultimately crucified Him, and that three days later He arose from the grave. These people do their best to live a moral and godly life... or at least a life that seems better to them than the lives their pagan neighbors are leading. One of the principle problems with this sort of shallow world view is that it flattens the character of our triune God. To them, God the Father is a benevolent old man who gives good things to most, amazing things to a few that earn it, and who does His best to fend off bad things (in addition to the fact that He always agrees with their political persuasions). The Holy Spirit is always near, ready and willing to lift them up when they're down if they just ask nicely. And Jesus is our good buddy up in the sky, looking out for us and cheering us on from afar. But such a limited theology is wholly incompatible with today's passage. Jesus isn't just a cheerleader, role model, or even a detached savior whose suffering two millennia ago paid for your sin. Rather, you've been inseparably united with Him in a death like His! In other words, Jesus is so much more than just the man upstairs. Your relationship with Christ is deeper and more involved than any other relationship you have. You're not just an ordinary person; you belong in body and soul, in life and in death, to your faithful Savior . 'Belong' is hardly a strong enough word - to translate the word Paul used literally, you've been congenitally joined to Him!   Dig Deeper   Daniel Doriani explains well the contemporary cultural significance of today's passage: We live in a culture of resentment and complaint. When we privilege victims and scorn the privileged, people are reluctant to “admit” that they have a great family, received a fine education, or enjoy economic resources that let them live without anxiety. No, in the “oppression Olympics,” people trumpet their suffering and compete to see who can claim more pain or betrayal. Somehow, Western society has determined that the poor, the downcast, the sufferer, the oppressed have the stamp of authenticity and must be heard, while the successful must be silenced. Since people long to be heard, they learn to maximize their sorrows and minimize their advantages. Again, such a mindset is incompatible for Christians who've been united to Christ. Paul explains that since we've been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His. This means that in Christ, you've been set free from slavery to sin and suffering. It means that your life is no longer defined by mistakes you've made or pain you've experienced. It means that your life must be marked by continual sanctification - looking more and more like Christ - and that these achievements must be celebrated and encouraged. Doriani continues, "This body of sin is annulled or undone by the death of Christ, so that the dominance of sin has ended. Sin no longer controls believers. For the redeemed, to cite Augustine, it is possible not to sin." You will certainly stumble - often - but when you do, you can, as the Canons put it, cling to the confidence of perseverance with a much greater concern to observe carefully the ways of the Lord which he prepared in advance. We know the song well: amazing grace... that saved a wretch like me . But what Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit wants you to know is that you are no longer a wretch. You've been united with Christ in death to sin and have been raised with Him so that you too may live a new life. Doriani concludes, "So yes, we struggle, but let us also humbly say: Because of our union with Christ, because of the transforming presence of the Spirit, our lives can be beautiful and can point, however imperfectly, to Christ." AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father who sovereignly controls all things and united us to Christ; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that having been united to Christ, that you will live to God; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 12

You don't need a guilt trip. You just need a reminder. Biblia.com Romans 6:1–4 (NIV) This week we'll be working our way through this entire chapter. 6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2   By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3   Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4   We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 13 - Assurance No Inducement to Carelessness The renewed confidence of perseverance does not produce immorality or lack of concern for godliness in those put back on their feet after a fall, but it produces a much greater concern to observe carefully the ways of the Lord which he prepared in advance. They observe these ways in order that by walking in them they may maintain the assurance of their perseverance, lest, by their abuse of his fatherly goodness, the face of the gracious God (for the godly, looking upon his face is sweeter than life, but its withdrawal is more bitter than death) turn away from them again, with the result that they fall into greater anguish of spirit. Summary Paul knew exactly what his readers would be thinking at this point. In the first five chapters of this most magnificent book, Paul masterfully not only laid out man's wretched depravity and sinfulness in no uncertain terms , but also unpacked all the beautiful workings of how Christ's blood atoned for our sin and met our covenant requirements so that we now have peace with God . The message has been crystal clear: where sin increased, grace increased all the more (Romans 5:20). So it only makes sense to conclude that the more you sin, the more grace you'll receive. To combat this error, Paul breaks out one of his favorite literary devices: the diatribe , in which he responds to an imaginary interlocuter who asks the question his readers are thinking in order to proactively dismantle the problem before it takes root: Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? Having set himself up, Paul tees off on his rhetorical question: BY NO MEANS!!! I used every bit of emphasis possible to reflect the sharpness of Paul's repudiation reflected in the original language. The NET Bible translates the answer as absolutely not! The KJV renders it God forbid. Literally translated, Paul's answers your temptation to keep sinning in order to receive more and more grace with the words may [such a thought] never exist.   Dig Deeper   Notice what Paul doesn't do here. He doesn't lay on a good ol' fashioned guilt trip like we deserve for even thinking the thought. After all, our Savior swapped all the trappings of glory to be laid in a borrowed manger as a helpless babe, and life for Him went downhill from there until he hung bleeding in an agonizing death to pay for sins that were not His own. And we have the callous attitude that a few more sins added to the pile won't hurt? But instead of piling on the guilt, Paul simply reminds you that you've experienced a significant shift in reality: you've died . Specifically, you've died to sin . Paul's next question isn't rhetorical - it's one you need to wrestle with and answer: how can you, as one who's been baptized into Christ's death, live in sin any longer? Of course, there's only one right answer: you can't! Your baptism into Christ's death brought about an even more significant change in your status. Having died to sin, you've now been raised with Christ through the glory of the Father, so that you too may live a new life. But Sarx - the enemy that lives within - keeps trying to drag you back from this new life into a life of sin. He lies to you, telling you that a few little sins here and there won't hurt a thing, especially since they've already been paid for. But a few little sins quickly snowball into the monstrous sins we read about a few months ago. So repent - change your thinking . Don't give quarter to sinful thoughts like the rhetorical question Paul begins this chapter with. Live fully invested in the new life you have in Christ. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father whose glory raised Christ from the dead; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength and desire to reject the temptation to go on sinning; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 11

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed. Bible.com LAST CHANCE DRAWING IS DECEMBER 12 AT MIDNIGHT Psalm 34 Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left. 1   I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2  I will glory in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3   Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. 4   I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 5   Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. 6   This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. 7   The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 8   Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 9   Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10  The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. 11  Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12  Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 13  keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. 14  Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. 15   The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; 16  but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. 17  The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18  The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19  The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; 20  he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. 21  Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. 22  The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 12 - The Lifestyle Assurance Brings This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. Summary It's probably been awhile since you've read the story of David's pretending to be insane - and many of you likely have never read it at all! You can catch up on those details in 1 Samuel 21, but long story short, David was fleeing from King Saul and hid out in a Philistine city. But by this point, David had killed thousands of Philistines in military conflicts, so he naturally feared what the Philistine king would do when he found out David was hiding in his territory. So David feigned insanity - drooling on his beard and everything - and the rouse worked. The king left the 'insane' David alone. But this psalm isn't a celebration of David's ability to save his own skin, but rather it's an acknowledgement that when David sought the LORD, and He answered him; He delivered David from all his fears . Whereas David needed to make himself look shameful before the kings of the world, those who look to the LORD are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. There's a pretty good chance that you're not going to need act insane while hiding out from a truly insane king (Saul) in a pagan city where everybody wants you dead. But no matter what it is that you're facing in your own life, you can still benefit from David's psalm, for it reminds you that as the LORD's holy person, you lack nothing when you fear Him.   Dig Deeper   It's the final few verses that brought us to Psalm 34 today as we continue to unpack this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints (saints = the LORD's holy people = you). You already know that being a Christian doesn't mean you get a pass from the problems and afflictions of this world. Sometimes, in fact, you experience those problems more acutely! David acknowledges this in the final five verses of this psalm. The righteous (that's you by the way!) cry out... They have troubles; they're brokenhearted and crushed in spirit; In fact, the righteous person may have many troubles! But the LORD preserves His people - you - in the midst of these trials. He delivers you from your troubles, is close to you and saves you. And don't miss how Psalm 34 points you to Christ! Remember that the soldiers overseeing Jesus' execution broke the legs of the other condemned me who hung beside Jesus, but not Jesus' because He had already died, because the LORD protected all the bones of the righteous man; not one of them will be broken. You're likely reading this near the end of another week. Don't miss the opportunity you'll have on the Lord's Day to gather with the saints and cry out to the LORD, for no one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father who is attentive to the cry of His people; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for strength to keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: LAST CHANCE DRAWING IS DECEMBER 12 AT MIDNIGHT Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 10

You're commanded to live at peace with everyone. How?!?!? Romans 12:1–16 (NIV) CONTEXT: We read the first two verses of this chapter Monday , verses 3-6 on Tuesday , and verses 9-16 yesterday . We finish out the chapter today. 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2   Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3  For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4   For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5   so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6   We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 9  Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17  Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19  Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”  says the Lord. 20  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  21  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 12 - The Lifestyle Assurance Brings This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. Summary Today's Summary and Dig Deeper sections are a re-post from October 2, 2023 . One of our most fundamental inclinations as North Americans is the concept of fairness - that people ought to get exactly what they deserve. It's this deeply embedded motivation that the Bible calls you to push back against! Rather than repaying a person by giving him what he's got coming, you must not take revenge. The Heidelberg Catechism reminds us that that an ugly concept like murder is not limited to the overt actions related to physically taking a person's life, but extends to seemingly benign actions such as belittling and insulting  people. Sometimes it might feel good to blow off a little steam by verbally assaulting a person who's been giving you grief so that things don't escalate into a full blown physical confrontation, the catechism is simply echoing Paul's advice to, as far as it depends upon you, to live at peace with everyone, and do not take revenge. This peace that you're called to is much more than just an outward politeness in which you don't say the quiet part out loud, even as you seethe and simmer on the inside. No, the Bible calls you to a pervasive, permeating peace that radiates from the inside out; a peace that keeps not just your mouth and hands in check, but your thoughts, looks and gestures as well.   Dig Deeper   Today's passage ends with the famous line: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. This passage often gets externalized, as if the best way to overcome bad guys is to shower them in good deeds. That may occasionally be the case, but I don't think that's what Paul means here. He wasn't referring to the evil reigning all around  you, but the evil that seeks to plant its flag inside of you - your sinful nature ( Sarx ), who gains ground with every revenge filled thought and attitude you allow to fester. Overcome Sarx by flooding him out as you fill your mind with whatever is noble, right, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy ( Philippians 4:8 ). The concept of revenge is a theme deeply woven into the fabric of scripture. In fact, the Bible draws to a close with Jesus promising to do the very thing that Paul here prohibits you from doing: Jesus will return with His settlement , meaning that He will repay everyone with exactly what they deserve, either good or bad. Base the peace that you've been commanded to have by l eaving room for God's wrath, for it is written, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord." AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father who has promised to reward good and repay evil; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength to let go of your sinful instinct to desire revenge and instead reflect the goodness and forgiveness Jesus has shown you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 8

Solid doctrine is the key to non-hypocritical love. Romans 12:1–16 (NIV) CONTEXT: We read the first two verses of this chapter Monday , verses 3-6 on Tuesday , and by God's grace we'll work our way through the entire chapter throughout this week. Today we'll read verses 9-16. 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2   Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3  For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4   For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5   so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6   We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 9  Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 12 - The Lifestyle Assurance Brings This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. Summary One of the most important parts of properly understanding a passage of scripture is to read it in its proper context. That means this paragraph of imperatives must be interpreted in light of the obligation you have for the grace you've been given ( which we read about on Monday ). The point is that you're to follow these instructions because you've been saved, not in order to be saved. The primary imperative in this passage is that you must love. Certainly most people in our society today would gladly endorse that! The problem, of course, is that most people in our society today have drastically different ideas and definitions for what it means to love. That's nothing new; they did in Paul's day and age as well. So Paul tells you exactly how to love: your love must be sincere - literally, your love must not be hypocritical , a word in Greek used to describe actors . In other words, your love must be pure and genuine. The rest of the paragraph then unpacks what pure and genuine love looks like. Genuine love hates evil and clings to what is good . It's devoted, honoring, full of zeal for serving the Lord. It's joyful, patient and faithful in prayer. It shares, blesses and rejoices under all circumstances, both good and bad. It puts others first, and is never conceited.   Dig Deeper   Too many Christians think that doctrinal statements like the Canons of Dordt get so hung up on dogmatic precision that they have nothing practical to offer, and that they've by and large become irrelevant. After all, today's mantra is that all we need is love, right? And Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, sets out such a beautiful lifestyle here rooted in simply loving sincerely ! Image how good life would be if everyone lived this way! So these straightforward, immensely practical and instructive passages calling us to a life of love are very popular, and often get detached from their doctrinal context. But you know how impossibly hard it is for you to love genuinely (ESV), which is why so many people end up loving so hypocritically - that is, just acting like they love, while behind the scenes they behave quite differently. Even if all this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints did was provide an abstract comfort and peace by assuring you that God's grace is stronger than you are and that you'll never slip out of your Father's graceful grip, it would still be worth our study. But it does so much more. It forms a very practical basis for how you can love genuinely. This assurance of perseverance, we read here in Article 12, is the true root of godly living. In other words, the better you understand your biblical doctrine, the more certain you'll be of your salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone, and this assurance will give you the capability to truly love sincerely. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who assures you of your salvation and will always preserve you in it; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your assurance will grow and enable you to increasingly love sincerely; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 8

Know how you've been spiritually gifted and then JUST DO IT! Perhaps the Apostle Paul should have been endorsed by Nike. Romans 12:1–8 (NIV) CONTEXT: We read the first two verses of this chapter yesterday , and by God's grace we'll work our way through the entire chapter throughout this week. 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2   Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3  For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4   For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5   so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6   We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 12 - The Lifestyle Assurance Brings This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. Summary This week's article from the Canons reminds you that this assurance of perseverance - this massively comforting doctrine that we've studied each day for the last two and a half months which teaches that God's grace is stronger than you are, so therefore nothing can pry you from the salvation He's won for you - this assurance ought not make you proud and self assured, rather, it's the root of humility. In other words, your confidence is in Christ, not your own ability. But too often Christians who properly desire to live humbly do so in a way that conflicts with Biblical imperatives. They translate their inability to save themselves into a perceived inability to do anything well. They read Paul's command to not think of yourself more highly than you ought as meaning they must think of themselves as lowly as possible. But look at Paul's command again. He didn't end the sentence with the word highly. That final clause - than you ought - implies that there is a level of height in which you ought to think of yourself; a height which recognizes that you have gifts according to the grace given to each of us. Too many Christians - especially ones like us - go their entire lives without utilizing the gifts they've been given because to do so might bring attention to them, and that attention might cause them to think of themselves highly. They end up squandering their gift so that neither they nor their community benefits from it in a effort to remain humble. That's not what the Canons intend to convey here, and it's especially not what the Bible conveys!   Dig Deeper   Paul would have loved the Nike slogan of Just Do It . It would be a perfect summarization of today's passage: know what gift(s) you have and then Just Do It! If it is serving, serve; if it's teaching, teach; if it's encouraging, encourage. This list could keep going and going. Do you know what gift(s) you have? Statistically, you probably don't. Christmas is coming soon, and you likely remember (or still experience) the overwhelming desire to open those wrapped gifts and see what's in them. Why are you so content, then, to leave the gift(s) the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon you unopened? Many Christians don't unwrap their gifts because they don't know how. While there's more to discovering your gifts than what we have space for today, this broad rule of thumb will help narrow things down: your gifts are things you enjoy doing that benefit the Church. Notice that it might be something you enjoy, but aren't particularly good at. Yet, at least. Like many gifts, your spiritual gifts arrive with some assembly required. Developing your gifts take hard work! But remember that you're callled to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works , so Just Do It! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has distributed faith to us and given each of us different gifts; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be able to discern your gift(s) and do the hard (but enjoyable!) work of assembling and developing them; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 7

Discipleship is an all-in, transformative experience. Romans 12:1–2 (ESV) 12  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 12 & 13 - The Lifestyle Assurance Brings This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. Summary Today's passage actually begins three and a half chapters earlier in the 12th verse of Romans 8, where Paul wrote Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation. The NIV ends that phrase with a dash, which is sort of a way of indicating that Paul will come back to this thought. But before explaining what the obligation is, Paul first explains that you're no longer obligated to Sarx - that is, your old sinful nature. As can be the case with Paul, one tangent leads to another, and those tangents lead to even more. It's not that what he writes in the passages that follow are beside the point or unimportant; quite the opposite! Romans 8-11 contain some of the Bible's most valuable theology! But it's not until here, the beginning of chapter 12, that Paul finally gets back to the thought he had begun long before and unpacks exactly what Christians saved by grace are obligated to: you must offer your body as a living sacrifice. Christianity is not just a spiritual religion. You're not just offering your heart or even your head. Discipleship is an all-in experience. Paul not only describes this sacrifice quantitatively - it includes your whole body /self - but he also specifies it qualitatively: it must be holy and acceptable to God . The Canons help explain what this holiness includes: humility, respect, godliness, endurance, fervent praying and steadfastness.   Dig Deeper   Certainly this isn't the first time the Bible commands God's people to live lives that are holy and acceptable to God. In fact, a good case can be made that holiness is one of the Bible's key themes, both in the Old and New Testaments. But the question remains: how does one do this? After all, the Old Testament catalogs failure after failure as it tells the story of people who'd also experienced God's mercy, yet who never attained the holiness He demands. Paul begins the answer to this question negatively. He first tells you what not to do: Do not be conformed. Notice the passive tense of the verb. As a reminder for those who haven't thought much about verb tenses lately, a passive tense verb is used to indicate when something is done to you. What this means is that if you do nothing, you will be conformed to this world. You'll be like play-dough that takes the form of whatever shape it's extruded through. So your shape will change no matter what. If you do nothing, you'll be con formed . To prevent this, you must submit yourself to another passive process: you must be trans formed . But this transformation isn't forced upon you by the world. It takes place primarily between your ears: it comes through the renewal of your mind! The Christian life is one of continual repentance, a word that literally means to think differently . This new thinking pattern rejects the world's conformity to sin and instead discerns the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. In other words, it clings to Christ. And that is holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose holy will is good, acceptable and perfect; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll live repentantly: rejecting the world's conformity and instead be transformed by the renewal of your mind; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 6

Know that you have solid support in a slippery world. Photo credit: Henry Schneider via Unsplash Psalm 94 1  The LORD is a God who avenges. O God who avenges, shine forth. 2   Rise up, Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. 3  How long, LORD, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant? 4   They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting. 5  They crush your people, LORD; they oppress your inheritance. 6   They slay the widow and the foreigner; they murder the fatherless. 7   They say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.” 8   Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? 9   Does he who fashioned the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see? 10  Does he who disciplines nations not punish? Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge? 11  The LORD knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile. 12  Blessed is the one you discipline, LORD, the one you teach from your law; 13  you grant them relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked. 14  For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance. 15  Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it. 16  Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers? 17  Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. 18  When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love ( ḥěʹ·sěḏ ), LORD, supported me. 19  When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. 20   Can a corrupt throne be allied with you— a throne that brings on misery by its decrees? 21  The wicked band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. 22  But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. 23  He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 10 & 11 - Assurance Despite Doubts Accordingly, our assurance does not derive from some private revelation beyond or outside the Word, but from faith in the promises of God which he has very plentifully revealed in his Word for our comfort, from the testimony of the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children and heirs (Rom. 8:16-17), and finally from a serious and holy pursuit of a clear conscience and of good works. And if God’s chosen ones in this world did not have this well-founded comfort that the victory will be theirs and this reliable guarantee of eternal glory, they would be of all people most miserable. Meanwhile, Scripture testifies that believers have to contend in this life with various doubts of the flesh and that under severe temptation they do not always experience this full assurance of faith and certainty of perseverance. But God, the Father of all comfort, does not let them be tempted beyond what they can bear, but with the temptation he also provides a way out ( 1 Cor. 10:13 ), and by the Holy Spirit revives in them the assurance of their perseverance. Summary I'll bet that if you were pulled aside before reading Psalm 95 today and asked to jot down what God does, your answer would be different from the psalmist's here in Psalm 95. Not wrong - just different. You'd write down how He loves, cares and provides for all things. You might even note that He is working out all things for the good of those who love Him . Of course you'd be right about all of that, but it's good to be reminded of an aspect of God that we don't focus on enough: The LORD is a God who avenges. Other translations simply address this prayer to the LORD, God of vengeance. Psalm 95 reminds us that not only will God make all things right, but that He'll get His revenge. This is why, as Romans 12:19 teaches , you don't need to seek revenge, for the LORD has said "It is mine to avenge; I will repay." You likely knew this about God, but it's so hard to hold on to this truth when all around the wicked pour out arrogant words and all the evildoers are full of boasting. It does often seem like the LORD does not see and the God of Jacob takes no notice. But Psalm 94 sardonically sets us straight: Does He who fashioned the ear not hear? Does He who formed the eye not see? Not only does God know of this world's oppression and brokenness, but He will be your fortress and the rock in whom you can take refuge. Be confident that the LORD will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness.   Dig Deeper   Almost everyone, whatever their level of Biblical literacy, is familiar with the Beatitudes that Jesus spoke at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, where He makes nine statements that begin with blessed are the... . But Matthew 5 isn't the only place in the Bible that we read beatitudes; in fact there's one right smack in the middle of Psalm 95: 12  Blessed is the one you discipline, LORD... Ironically, even as the valley you walk through becomes so darkened by the consequences of sin that it causes you to doubt and lose your assurance, you are being blessed! Because even though you might not always feel it, you know that the LORD will not reject His people; He will never forsake His inheritance. As the LORD once again grants you relief from days of trouble, your confidence and assurance will be far more stronger than when the trial began. Even the psalmist's foot slipped, just like yours and mine so often do. But along with the psalmist, you can be absolutely certain that as your foot is slipping, the LORD supports you with His ḥěʹ·sěḏ - that is, is His unfailing covenant love. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the LORD that is a God who avenges; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will know that the LORD will not reject His people even when you don't feel it; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 5