The Scriptures reveal God’s message time society.

The Scriptures for this lesson survey the most important facts about the Bible that society needs to know and head: (1) God is real, and in the Bible He has given commandments for how we ought to live; (2) disobeying God‘s Commandments (committing sins) has destructive and deadly consequences; however, (3) God is forgiving and offers to all redemption from sin through trust in Jesus Christ. In the last two parts of this lesson, we see the apostle Paul‘s presentation of redemptive theology, beginning with natural law in Romans chapter 1, and then highlighting Christ’s redemptive work in chapter 3, showing Him to be the only savior of sinners.

THE BIBLE PRESENTS GOD’S COMMANDMENTS

A. God’s Commandments Repeated

Deu 5:6  I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Deu 5:7  Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

Deu 5:8  Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:

Deu 5:9  Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,

Deu 5:10  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Deu 5:11  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Deu 5:12  Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

Deu 5:13  Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:

Deu 5:14  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

Deu 5:15  And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

Deu 5:16  Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deu 5:17  Thou shalt not kill.

Deu 5:18  Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

Deu 5:19  Neither shalt thou steal.

Deu 5:20  Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Deu 5:21  Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Deu 5:22  These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

B. Obligation to Obey God

Deu 5:32  Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

…….This meant, they were not to venture into striving for self righteousness by becoming stricter than, or trying to surpass, God’s Commandments, and they were not to venture into sinful behaviors by doing less than God commanded. God commands obedience to his commandments, no more and no less, and his commandments are neither overbearing nor unreasonable (1 John 5:2-3).

Deu 5:33  Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.

…….It is very easy to understand that obeying God and abiding by His commandments, mankind will live prosperously (not necessarily in monetary means) and protected. I told my wife the other day that I want to honor God in all we ever do and stay fair with all people. We have seen God bless those outside of the church for simply being fair and truthful with others and living a good life. Why would He not do the same for His own?

THE BIBLE WARNS OF SINS CONSEQUENCES

A. Consequences of Not Honoring God

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

…….From the very beginnings of our understanding, at the earliest stages of childhood there is a natural knowledge of right and wrong. God has created in our natural consciousness a knowing of right and wrong.

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

…….Because we know there is a God and the display of His power is “clearly seen”, whether in the physical or spiritual, we are without excuse in obeying His commands. And even beyond simple obedience, we are without excuse in reverencing and worshipping Him

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

…….It is one thing to know about God, it is another to actually know Him! When God brings divine revelation through salvation it is most important that we reverence God by telling and showing other what God has done for us! How is there any other way to Glorify God? Out of the thankfulness of our hearts, we worship Him! He didn’t have to save and protect us, but He did! He didn’t have to show us that divine salvation, but He did! He doesn’t have to continuously remind us that He still loves us, but He does! This scripture shows us another example how possible it is to once know God and to later be cut off from relationship with Him. God will not strive with a man or woman who continuously strives against God. Those who live a life of immorality will eventually believe that immorality is natural.

Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

…….Question: How many of you have actually met someone who thought they were wise enough to either discredit God, or try to subtract this natural moral law from existence? I have never met anyone more foolish than a person with this mindset.

Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

…….We cannot replace the image of God and His splendor with anything, period. There is nothing greater nor even close to equal. When we place our greatest interests in any other thing that God, we change His image within our minds as something less important. This is the sin of idol worship!

Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

…….Is there any worse punishment for sin other than hell itself? The thought that God would never deal with my heart and convict my conscience would be mortifying! This is the outcome of dishonoring God after He has placed into our hearts and minds the divine knowledge and revelation of His great existence!

B. Consequences of Self Worship

Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

…….May we never forget who our great creator is! We can never observe the blessing, but not the blesser!

Rom 1:26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile (shameful) affections (lusts): for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

…….When people serve against the very nature of God, He will allow them to drift into a false passion. Even the slightest sense of morality in a man will deem that lifestyle disgusting.

Rom 1:27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence (wage, consequence) of their error which was meet.

Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind (a mind without God), to do those things which are not convenient (natural);

Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

…….We the people of the church must always remember that a life without prayer and reverence of Christ will lead to a life of self worship and idol worship. As much as we remember the wrath of God against those who rage in sin against Him, we must also remember that there is forgiveness for all mankind, regardless of how far off the path one may seem.

THE BIBLE REVEALS A FORGIVING GOD

A. Righteousness by Faith in Christ

…….The previous scriptures until now will show us how guilty the entire world (without Christ) really is. There is no moral law that can distribute the righteousness of God. Righteousness only comes through salvation and obedience to Gods total desire in our life’s.

Rom 3:21  But now (and thankfully!) the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Rom 3:22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

…….When we deem this world helpless, we deem ourselves better than or more deserving of the grace of God prior to salvation. Though consequences of sin vary on this side of eternity, the ultimate punishment for sin and Christlessness is eternal damnation. We were ALL sinners saved by grace and we must all pray that we have the same mercy for the world as He had for us. When we see the world as our own selves, it is easier to love those who are without.

B. Justified by Christ

Rom 3:24  Being justified (brought into a right relationship with God) freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Rom 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

…….Propitiation: the replacement, atonement, and covering for our sins. Christ was and is the propitiation for our sins! We must live in appreciation of our salvation by living a life acknowledging what He has done for us!

Rom 3:26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

…….It is one thing to be forgiven, it is another to live in repentance. Justification comes win through salvation we live a repented life towards God. Forgiveness is up to Christ and can only be offered by Christ but living a life of change is totally up to us. At salvation, Jesus Christ makes His great entrance and introduces His spirit to our lives to continuously dwell and deal with our consciousness. Through this wonderful life of salvation God imputes His righteousness to our lives, it draws us closer to Him and makes us more like Him.