|LJ Dail$ Devotional Home Readings Spj Connected with International Sunday School Lessons m Bj> FREDERIC W . FARR, D. D. m l
THURSDAY, December 1. Rom 1:1-8 P a u l’s le tte r to th e Romans The epistle to th e Romans was w rit ten from Corinth by T ertius a t P au l’s dictation. It was brought to Rome by Phoebe, a deaconess. The church at Rome was composed of Jews and Gen tiles. : I t was probably founded by Christians from Jerusalem who went th ere afte r Pentecost. Paul had not visited Rome when he w rote th is le tte r although it is evident from chapter 16 th a t many members of th e church were his personal friends. F irs t of all he th ank s God for them , vs. 8. It is a good thing when we can th a n k God for people. It shows th a t they are not a burden bui a boon. Happy is th a t m inister who can th a n k God for all the members of his church.. Ought we not to live so th a t our pastors, teachers and friends can give th ank s to God for us and for our unselfish, consecrated lives? How much Christians can be to one another! Am I a stumbling-block or a stepping stone to a higher life to those about me? FRIDAY, December 2. Rom. 1:8-17. The power of th e Gospel. The reason for P au l’s glory in th e Gospel is said to be because of its be ing th e power of God unto salvation to every one th a t believeth. People respect power and are always seeking it. The Gospel has transform ing power. It has changed nations. It has w rought moral revolutions. Under its benign influence countries have pass ed from savage barbarism to refined civilization. It places before man a heavenly ideal and im parts a dynamic by which the ideal can be attained. Every one who opens his h ea rt to the Gospel experiences its transform ing power^ It has no effect upon any one who does not receive it and utilize it. T hose.who make use of it to help and lift th e ir fellow men, find it to be a g reater influence for blessing th a n any thing on earth. It is God Himsblf working fh and through hum an lives.
SATURDAY, December 3. Rom. 1:18. 32. The unveiling of th e hum an h ea rt A remedy to be effective must rest upon a tru e understanding of the need. The Word and Spirit of God search the hidden depths of hum an nature. The first chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah and the first chapter of th e epistle to th e Romans give no fancy sketch bu t present a correct photograph of the hum an h eart. The B rahm an priests accused th e m issionaries of forging the first chapter of Romans and inserting it in to th e Bible a fte r they came to India and became fam iliar w ith heathen .vices, so accurately does it po rtray the situation. Sin m ust be brought to light before it can be judged and p u t away. God punishes sin w ith sin. This chap te r teaches th a t the sins here cata logued come as a prim itive infliction from God. They are still in existence among men a fte r two thousand years. SUNDAY, December 4. Rom. 3:19-21. Hum an sin and Divine righteousness When P aul declares th a t all have sin ned, he does not mean th a t all have sin ned to th e same degree, bu t if any man has sinned a t all, he has failed and can only be saved th rough faith in Christ. In the sight of men he who sins little is much better th an he who sins much but before the bar of God when th e stand ard is perfection, n either can be accepted. To sin at all is to lose all and come sho rt of th e glory of God. Men are freely .justified by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Whatever reason may have to say about it, Paul is satisfied w ith it because God has provided it. The law testified th a t God’s w rath burned against sin. Every bleeding lamb upon a smoking a ltar de clared not only th a t God was holy but th a t He could rem it the' offerer’s sin. Justice demanded th e life of th e sin ner. A life was given in th e bloody offering. Justice justified because ju s tice was satisfied. While the cross is a dem onstration of th e righteousness of God, it becomes a propitiatioh through th e faith of man, and shows th a t men are not saved unless they believe.
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