March 24

Journey-through-the-Bible-with-us

READING FOR MARCH 24, 2025: 1 SAMUEL 18, ROMANS 8, PSALM 22:22-31                               1 SAMUEL 18 Jonathan, Saul’s son, was moved to commit to being David’s friend, even making a covenant with him. Some interpretators who downgrade the importance of friendships have suggested this must have been a sexual relationship. Nothing in the text suggests this. David no longer resides with his family but is taken into Saul palace. He is frequently sent into battle and always acquits himself well. This draws universal praise, particularly with Saul’s servants. His problem occurs when Saul hears a song that young women sang celebrating David’s achievements: “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands” (vs. 7).  Some leaders have huge egos and cannot bear having a subordinate receive higher compliments than they receive. Saul is that sort of leader. In fact, he views David as a threat to replace him. Remem- ber the words of Jesus: “Whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant, and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20: 26-28). Saul fails this test of character.

Perhaps this demonstration of personal pride leaves Saul open to another attack by an evil spirit. This is turn prompts Saul to try to kill David while he was performing music for Saul. (Being a musician can be risky at times.) Fortunately, the general public did not share Saul’s hostility toward David as he continued his military successes. Then Saul promised his daughter Merab to David but gave her to someone else at the last minute.  When his daughter Michal expressed interest in David, Saul agreed to the marriage but set forth a near impossible condi-- tion. Instead of demanding a regular dowry from David, he asked that David provide him with 100 foreskins (i.e., private parts) from the Philistines. Saul assumed David would be killed acquiring these, but David enthusiastically brought Saul 200 foreskins. Stymied once more, Saul reluctantly allowed the marriage. David continued garnering acclaim for his successes. Can we be as humble and obedient as David to those who have authority over us, even if they are unjust? This is so hard!!  But it is the biblical standard:  “Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With goodwill render service, as to the Lord, and not to people, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, whether slave or free” (Eph. 6:5-8).

ROMANS 8 If the interpretation presented before for Romans 7 is correct, then Romans 8 contrasts what it means to live as a Christian by the power of the Spirit of God compared with our prior attempts in chapter 7 to obey the law in the power of the flesh. The first step is to embrace our new status as believers who are freed from condemnation. This is because Jesus was condemned in our place (8:1-2). The requirements of the law, including the sacrificial system, the ceremonial obligations, and the moral law, are fully met by Jesus (8:3).   As we learned in chapter 7, the moral law still describes sin (7:7), but before being freed by the Spirit, we were unable obey this law (7:19) or to please God (8:8). Now through faith, the Holy Spirit dwells within us (8:8).

READINGS FOR MARCH 24, 2025 CONTINUED: ROMANS 8, PSALM 22:22-31                            We are able set our minds on the Spirit (8:6), put to death the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit (8:13), and then be led by the Spirit (8:14). Although the Spirit, not our efforts, transforms us internally, there still is intentional human involvement: setting our mind, putting deeds of the flesh to death, and allowing the Spirit’s leading. The indwelling Spirit then changes our character, from which behavior (obedience) automatically flows. Think back to Matthew 5. The standard of the Mosaic Law was not to murder. Through the power of the Spirit within us, we are now able to live out Jesus’s higher character standard of freedom from anger. The standard of the Mosaic Law was not to commit adultery. Through the power of the Spirit within us, we are now able to live out Jesus’s higher character standard of freedom from lust. 

Other benefits of this new life include the following:                                                                            

  • a sonship relationship with God the Father; 
  • the internal witness of the Spirit that we are children of God; 
  • a promised eternal inheritance shared with Jesus; 
  • the honor of suffering with Jesus so that we might be glorified with Him. Paul says because we know of all these current and future benefits, we can live with hope and perseverance, eager for what’s next;
  • the Holy Spirit prays for us when we are at a loss for words; 
  • God works out all the events of our lives for His good purposes; 
  • God is conforming us to be more like Jesus; 
  • we can count on the God who predestined, called, and justified us to also glorify us; since God is for us, our adversaries have no chance; 
  • Jesus Christ is currently praying to the Father on our behalf.

Final benefit: nothing can separate us from God’s love, although as Job and even Paul discovered, life may have many unpleasant features with which to contend. It is all bearable knowing that God’s love and all the benefits listed above can never be taken from us. LET’S CONSIDER EVERYTHING WE HAVE IN JESUS. 

Fine Print Theology. While some (Presbyterians) believe this last promise guarantees that we cannot lose our salvation, others (Methodists) think that believers still have the freedom to reject Jesus. This is partly because human rejection is not mentioned as one of the external separating possibilities in Romans 8 and because of other biblical passages describing falling away from faith (e.g., Heb.10:35-38; 2 Peter 2:20-21).

PSALM 22:22-31 Verse 22 definitely refers to Jesus. How can we know that with certainty? Because the writer of the Hebrews tells us: “ For both He (Jesus) who sanctifies and those who are  sanctified are all from one Father; for this reason, He (Jesus) is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,  saying, ‘I will proclaim Your name to My brothers, In the midst of the assembly I will sing Your praise’” (Heb. 2:11-12).  Think of it. When we sing praises to God in the assembly, Jesus is singing with us.

Verse 27 talks about the worldwide nature of God’s kingdom. Because of numerous scriptural passages, including the words of Jesus and later in Revelation, we know this does not mean all will be saved. It does mean that people from every nation and tongue will be saved and praise Him in heaven: “I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb”’ (Rev. 7:9-10).