Bourland Family Blog

“Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.”  Romans 5:5  IOW – The hope spoken of: The type of hope character produces – the habit of joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

“No unbelief or distrust made him (Abraham) waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.” Romans 4:20-21  IOW – Even though Abraham was impotent (he had a failing body at 100 years old) and his wife Sarah was barren, he was fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He promised (many nations from his offspring).  He was even strengthened in his faith, gave glory to God, and praised Him!  This hope, even though all earthly reasonable hope was lost, granted Abraham a credit of righteousness.

“Therefore, [inheriting] the promise is the outcome of faith and depends [entirely] on faith, in order that it might be given as an act of grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants—not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is [thus] the father of us all.”  Romans 4:16  IOW – Because of Abraham’s faith in God we are descendants of Abraham (our father) and receive the promise by grace.  Doesn’t matter who you are you are eligible for Gods gift of eternity through belief and faith in His son.

“Therefore, those who are ill-treated and suffer in accordance with God’s will must do right and commit their souls [in charge as a deposit] to the One Who created and will never fail [them].”  1 Peter 4:19

“For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed in (trusted in) God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness (right living and right standing with God).”  Romans 4:3  IOW – The passage goes on to say that God credited this righteousness to Abraham before he was circumcised; that circumcision then became an outward symbol of Abraham’s belief in God and the credited righteousness he received.  Whether you are circumcised or not (Jew or not) you also receive God’s righteousness credited to you through belief in His son and because of Jesus your sins will never be counted against you (Romans 4:7&8).  Mind boggling.

“For we hold that a man is justified and made upright by faith independent of and distinctly apart from good deeds (works of the Law). [The observance of the Law has nothing to do with justification.]”  Romans 3:28  IOW – You can follow and obey the 10 commandments yet never be saved.  Yet we need to uphold the 10 commandments because they keep us conscious of our sin so that we can confess/repent of our sin.  In my experience the more unconfessed/unrepentant sin you have between you and the Lord the further you feel from Him and more susceptible and open you become to the wiles of the evil one.

“God put forward Jesus [before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.”  Romans 3:25  IOW – God allowed sin to go unpunished before Jesus came and died on the cross. Jesus’ death on the cross retroactively paid for the sins of those before. Did the sacrifices the Jews did in the Old Testament only allow them to be in the presence of God while He inhabited the tabernacle (cover their sin but not remove it)?  Gonna have to dig in there.

“There is no one righteous, not even one.”  Romans 3:10b  IOW – Self-explanatory, but the real juice here is that observing the commandments (the Law) in itself is not good enough to be righteous in God’s sight.  We all have sinned and fallen short.  Only accepting God’s free gift of His Son will bathe you in righteousness, credited to you through our Lord Jesus Christ.

“For he is not a [real] Jew who is only one outwardly and publicly, nor is [true] circumcision something external and physical. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and [true] circumcision is of the heart, a spiritual and not a literal [matter]. His praise is not from men but from God.”  Romans 2:28-29. IOW – Don’t be a CINO (Christian In Name Only).  Live your a Christian walk on the inside first. Let your spirit change your soul, your soul change your mind, and your body will follow. Then you will show everyone who that inner follower of Christ is.