ROMANS

-----Complete notes can be downloaded from our website - www.countrybiblechurch.us -----You may contact us at countrybiblechurch.us@gmail.com or cbcbrenham@gmail.com (Review of lesson 389) LESSON # 390 5. The implications of the baptism of the Spirit are found in Galatians 3:26-28. Distinctions are removed. Galatians 3:26-28 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 6. The baptism of the Spirit provides retroactive identification, Romans 6:1-5. This is the doctrinal basis for victory over the old sin nature. Romans 6:1-5 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2) Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3) Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4) Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5) For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 7. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit began at Pentecost (Acts 2:1 & 4) and so did being filled with the H.S. and being indwelt with the H.S. and that is also when the Church Age began. Acts 11:15-16 "And as I began to speak, the Ho-ly Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the be-ginning. 16) "Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 8. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not something you experience, but the Scriptures confirm that it is very real.

-----Complete notes can be downloaded from our website - www.countrybiblechurch.us -----You may contact us at countrybiblechurch.us@gmail.com or cbcbrenham@gmail.com The Bema Seat and Rewards (3:10–15) This teaching on three classes of men is often cou-pled with the next passage, 1 Corinthians 3:10–15. What is often asserted within the carnal Christian teaching is that there will be a separate judgment for believers, where their works are evaluated and they will receive rewards. The usual assumption is that those who were spiritual will receive a reward, those who were carnal will be saved “as by fire.” “The teaching on 1 Corinthians 3:10–15. (1) It is a unique judgment for Christians; (2) It focuses only on Christian service or good works; (3) It is only a matter of reward or loss of reward. This teaching fits in neatly with the carnal Christian teaching. The idea is that a person could live life with little or no works, and at this special Christian judgment would still get to heaven, without any rewards. These doctrines have been used to instill in people the notion that they can have true faith and yet be carnal and fruitless. The worst thing that can happen to such people is that they lose out on millennial rewards. This is not a hypothetical observation; it is one that I have heard many times over the years. A presumptuous laziness can creep in, making people comfortable with their carnality and fruit-lessness. What makes this so dangerous is that it gives ground for people to think they are converted, when in fact they may well be unregenerate and hell-bound. There is a more profound way than is usually recognized, this opening issue is the most crucial factor in the letter, not because their ‘quarrels’ were the most significant error in the church, but because the nature of this particular strife had as its root cause their false theology, which had exchanged the theology of the cross for a false triumphal-ism that went beyond, or excluded the cross. The Apostle’s criticism of the Corinthians is that although they claimed to be spiritual, they were not acting like it. In fact, they were acting “as carnal” people, that is, people of the flesh, people of this world. Their behavior was not only worldly, it was infantile. This is brought out by the derogatory “as babes in Christ.” They claimed to be “mature” but the hard fact was that they were infantile, childish. In our vernacular, they were “acting like babies.” The argument of 2:6–16 implies that for Paul the gospel of the crucified one is both “milk” and “solid food.” As milk it is the good news of salvation; as solid food it is under-standing that the entire Christian life is predicated on the same reality- and those who have the Spirit should so understand the “mystery.”

-----Complete notes can be downloaded from our website - www.countrybiblechurch.us -----You may contact us at countrybiblechurch.us@gmail.com or cbcbrenham@gmail.com 1 Corinthians 16:19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. Aquila and Prisca are mentioned in Acts 18:24-28 in reference to a man named Apollos. “Apollos was a Jew “born at Alexandria,” a man well versed in the Scriptures and eloquent (Acts 18:24; R.V., “learned”). He came to Ephesus (about A.D. 49), where he spoke “boldly” in the synagogue (18:26), although he did not know as yet that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. Aquila and Priscilla instructed him more perfectly in “the way of God,” i.e., in the knowledge of Christ. He then proceeded to Corinth, where he met Paul (Acts 18:27; 19:1). He was there very useful in watering the good seed Paul had sown (1 Cor. 1:12), and in gaining many to Christ.” M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893), 47–48. Read: Acts 18:1-28 Acts 18 identifies Aquila as a Jew. Like other Jews living outside of Palestine, he and his wife adopted Roman names in addition to their Jewish names, which are not given in Scripture. They settled in Corinth and Paul, who shared their trade of tent making (that is, leather working), stayed with Aquila and Priscilla there. The couple apparently returned to Rome and became leaders of the Christian community there (Rom. 16:3–5a). What is perhaps most fascinating about references to Aquila in the New Testament is that in each case his wife is mentioned with him, and in half the references Priscilla is named first. What an appropriate reminder that in ministry as in life husbands and wives are to be partners, and that in some partnerships the wife’s gifts may be greater than those of her husband. Larry Richards, Every Man in the Bible (Nashville: T. Nelson, 1999), 213. 2 Timothy 4:19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. ONESIPHORUS— name means “bringing profit”, an Ephesian Christian who showed great kindness to Paul at Rome. He served him in many things, and had often refreshed him. Paul expresses a warm interest in him and his household. “2 Timothy 1:16-18 The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chains; 17) but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me, and found me—18) the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day-- and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.” M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893), 513. “on that day” refers to the Judgment Seat of Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work.

-----Complete notes can be downloaded from our website - www.countrybiblechurch.us -----You may contact us at countrybiblechurch.us@gmail.com or cbcbrenham@gmail.com Guided by Grace - By Joel E. Kim Like many people, I have become completely dependent on my phone’s GPS to help me navigate the traffic in southern California. I love it when my GPS says, “You’re on the fastest route and your route is clear.” If only our faith journeys were this easy, with clear directions and turn-by-turn guidance to God’s destination for our lives. In the closing verses of Romans, Paul does not provide detailed directions for every step of our lives, but he does alert us to signs we should heed. These markers guide us along a trajectory of grace. What do these signs have in common? They all point to the providence and sovereignty of God: He is in charge and we are not. Our God is able and faithful, and our response should be to depend on him. First-Century Resumé Pray for those who minister to you. Ask God to reveal ways you can support their ministry. Since its inception in 2004, Facebook has become an essential tool for connecting with people. In a way, Romans 16—a chapter sometimes treated as unnecessary for the church—functions like a first-century Facebook, establishing personal connections between Paul and the be-lievers in Rome (most of whom he had not met). By offering this extensive list of mutual friends, Paul is able to recommend himself to the congregation. What can we learn from this chapter full of names? For one, the Roman church was very diverse. Out of the 26 people named, nine are women. Perhaps this doesn’t seem so unusual, given that women often make up the majority in our churches today. However, it might be surprising to learn that slaves or “freedmen”—former slaves who were given freedom—make up the majority of the names in Romans 16. (In the first century, names were often associated with certain social or economic classes.) Imagine sitting in church and worshiping with a slave. Given the homogeneous nature of our most of our churches, such diversity is difficult to imagine.

-----Complete notes can be downloaded from our website - www.countrybiblechurch.us -----You may contact us at countrybiblechurch.us@gmail.com or cbcbrenham@gmail.com Read: Ephesians 2:11-22 Summary: The latter part of Ephesians 2:11–22 expands on this theme, illustrating the broader reconciliation of both Jews and Gentiles into one new humanity in Christ. Paul urges Gentile believers to remember their previous separation from God and the covenants of promise made to Israel. He explains that Christ's death has broken down the barriers be-tween Jews and Gentiles, creating peace and unity. The "dividing wall" refers to the law that previously separated them, which Christ fulfilled. Paul emphasizes that through Christ, both groups have access to God and are now part of His household, forming a holy temple where God dwells. This unity is facilitated by the Holy Spirit, who em-powers believers and signifies their identity as the dwelling place of God on earth. 1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) dwells in you? Overall, Paul’s message highlights the transformative power of Christ’s sacrifice in uniting diverse peoples into one body of believers. Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

-----Complete notes can be downloaded from our website - www.countrybiblechurch.us -----You may contact us at countrybiblechurch.us@gmail.com or cbcbrenham@gmail.com Read: Acts 21:17-Acts 26 gives the details on what happened. Acts 22:16 is mistranslated: Acts 22:16 And now why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' Verse 16 – this is all mixed up in the translation. “And now why tarriest thou?” Whoever translated this forgot that the action of the aorist participle precedes the action of the main verb. The aorist active participle is “calling on the name of the Lord,” and the word is epikalew [kalew = to call; epi = upon], a synonym for believing in Christ, as per Romans 10:13. This has to do with being saved, and Paul has already done this; he was already saved: “brother Saul.” Obviously calling upon the name of the Lord has to come first. But there is another point of syntax: the action of the aorist participle is also coterminous with the action of the main verb. The main verb here is “wash away sins.” When Paul called upon the name of the Lord (aorist parti-ciple), at that moment his sins were washed away. Sins are washed away by faith in Christ. Paul on the Damas-cus road fulfilled the aorist active participle. He called upon the name of the Lord and that is when he was saved. Correct Translation: “Having called upon the name of the Lord, and your sins washed away, why are you hanging around here? Get up and be baptized.”

-----Complete notes can be downloaded from our website - www.countrybiblechurch.us -----You may contact us at countrybiblechurch.us@gmail.com or cbcbrenham@gmail.com There is power in prayer and especially in unified prayer: Read: Acts 12:1-24 2 Corinthians 1:11 you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many. Paul was uncertain about what could happen to him when he returned to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit had continually warned him of the perils that lay ahead. Acts 20:22-23 And now, behold, bound in spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will hap-pen to me there, 23) except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds (fetters) and afflictions (tribulations) await me. This is one reason Paul asked believers to pray for him because he had been told that his trip to Jerusalem would include bonds and afflictions.

-----Complete notes can be downloaded from our website - www.countrybiblechurch.us -----You may contact us at countrybiblechurch.us@gmail.com or cbcbrenham@gmail.com and to be helped (inf.ap), on my way there by you, Paul likely hoped for the Roman believers to support him for his Spanish mission. 25) but now, I am going to Jerusalem to continue in serving the saints. Paul had an agenda where he had plans to visit Rome and the believers and churches there and then press on to Spain. Paul wasn’t trying to convert the world; He was saving individuals. His routine was to give the gospel, establish a church, ordain men who had not been to theological semi-nary, and left the Scriptures and the young believers to them. The rest is up to God the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “All that the Father gives to me shall come to me” (John 6:37), and we can be sure that not one of His chosen ones will be overlooked or fall away. He saves and keeps all who are His own.

-----Complete notes can be downloaded from our website - www.countrybiblechurch.us -----You may contact us at countrybiblechurch.us@gmail.com or cbcbrenham@gmail.com 1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. Romans 15:21 but as it is written (v.rpi), "They who had (v.api), no news of Him shall *see (v.fmi), And they who have (v.rai), not heard (v.rai) shall (v.fai) understand (v.fai)." Extended verse: Romans 15:21 but as it was written in the past and received now, "They who in a point in time had received no news of the gospel of Him, shall in the fu-ture*see, And they who have not heard the gospel in the past, shall understand it in the future.

-----Complete notes can be downloaded from our website - www.countrybiblechurch.us -----You may contact us at countrybiblechurch.us@gmail.com or cbcbrenham@gmail.com Read: Acts 22:17-21 Read: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, which can be considered to be Common Grace verses, meaning that spiritually dead unbelievers can understand the gospel, which is spiritual, by the enablement of the Holy Spirit Other Common Grace verses: Matt. 13:17, John 16:17-18, 1 Thess. 1:5 ILLYRICUM, a country to the north-west of Macedonia, on the eastern shores of the Adriatic, now almost wholly com-prehended in Dalmatia, a name formerly given to the southern part of Illyricum. It was traversed by Paul in his third missionary journey. It was the farthest district he had reached in preaching the gospel of Christ.” M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Doctrine, and Literature (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893), 343–344. I have fully preached the gospel of Christ – Paul had canvassed the entire area, and he was ready to go to other places that needed to be evangelized.