Study Desk

My Christian brothers, that is the way it is with you. You were under the power of the Law. But now you are dead to it because you are joined to another. You are joined to Christ Who was raised from the dead. This is so we may be what God wants us to be. Our lives are to give fruit for Him.

I was once alive. That was when I did not know what the Law said I had to do. Then I found that I had broken the Law. I knew I was a sinner. Death was mine because of the Law.

Then does it mean that the Law, which is good, brought death to me? No, not at all! It was sin that did it. Sin brought death to me by the Law that is good. In that way, sin was shown to be what it is. So because of the Law, sin becomes much more sinful.

But there is a different law at work deep inside of me that fights with my mind. This law of sin holds me in its power because sin is still in me.

Now, because of this, those who belong to Christ will not suffer the punishment of sin.

The power of the Holy Spirit has made me free from the power of sin and death. This power is mine because I belong to Christ Jesus.

The Law could not make me free from the power of sin and death. It was weak because it had to work with weak human beings. But God sent His own Son. He came to earth in a body of flesh which could be tempted to sin as we in our bodies can be. He gave Himself to take away sin. By doing that, He took away the power sin had over us.

If Christ is in you, your spirit lives because you are right with God, and yet your body is dead because of sin.

Who can keep us away from the love of Christ? Can trouble or problems? Can suffering wrong from others or having no food? Can it be because of no clothes or because of danger or war?

The Holy Writings say, "Because of belonging to Jesus, we are in danger of being killed all day long. We are thought of as sheep that are ready to be killed."

I am telling the truth because I belong to Christ. The Holy Spirit tells my heart that I am not lying.

This means that children born to Abraham are not all children of God. Only those that are born because of God's promise to Abraham are His children.

Even before the two sons were born, we see God's plan of choosing. God could choose whom He wanted. It could not be changed because of anything the older son tried to do about it. It was before either one had done anything good or bad.

These good things from God are not given to someone because he wants them or works to get them. They are given because of His loving-kindness.

What are we to say about these things? The people who are not Jews were not made right with God by the Law. They were made right with God because they put their trust in Him.

Why? Because they did not put their trust in God. They tried to be right with God by working for it. They tripped over the most important Stone (Christ).

They have not known how God makes men right with Himself. Instead, they have tried to make their own way. They have not become right with God because they have not done what God said to do.

It is the same now. A few of the Jews are being chosen because of God's loving-favor.

If they are saved from the punishment of sin because of God's loving-favor, it is nothing men have done to earn it. If men had earned it, then His loving-favor would not be a free gift.

Let their eyes be closed so they cannot see. Keep their backs from being straight always because of their troubles."