Romans 7 – Sanctification – vs.4 – “you also were made to die to the law through the body of Christ, that you might be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit unto God.” The flesh and spirit war against each other, that is why we must be dead to sin, but alive to Christ. We are sanctified in our union with Jesus. The law convicted us of sin. So we have to die to sin and be resurrected into the life of Jesus by God. So, that we are dead to sin but alive to Jesus. Paul explains how sin reigned in us and the law pointed it out. But now we join Jesus in death, so God can raise us up. Gal.:2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Crain Blanchard.

http://www.joseph1637.com

Vs.1 “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” Taking God’s grace for granted is called lasciviousness, the works of the flesh. (Gal.5). Vs.4 ” Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” We are sanctified by death to self and through death we are freed from sin and the bondage of the world. Sanctification is the process by which we are cleaned up getting ready for us to go home. What the process takes our will. We have to be willing to let God do his work. With that work comes the fruit of the Spirit, we become the image and likeness of God. Sanctification is a life long project. We cannot be sanctified in a day or a week, It is our walk from here to eternity. It’s not always fun. But it is rewarding, sanctification.

Crain Blanchard.

Www.joseph1637.com

Justification had given us peace with God. God has given us His grace (charisma) through Jesus. vs.3-5 – we aren’t justified by works. But we are matured by tribulation.

Romans 5:3 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” We are reconciled to God by the blood of Jesus and saved by his life. “Those who endure to the end shall be saved.”
Because of the sin of Adam, all have sinned. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, the guilt and punishment of sin was paid for. As it is written “As a result of the anguish of his soul, he will see it and be satisfied; by his knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as he will bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:11. We are justified through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He paid the price so we can return and repent of our sins before God. And God can receive us back because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. This is justification before God.

Crain Blanchard.

http://www.joseph1637.com

The Sins of the Whole World – From the beginning man was a sinner. There was no righteousness found in man. God called the Jews to have a people to show the world that there is a God of all. The law was given to convict the world of their sins. So with or with out the law, man is a sinner. Man must be righteous in the sight of God to be justified before Him. By His grace, we were given the gift from God to justify us, Jesus Christ the righteous. Then through faith in Jesus, his righteousness is accounted to us. We are born in sin and it corrupts everything we know. Did you ever wonder why a baby knows how to lie, cheat and steal. It is because of our sin nature. Thank God, He doesn’t attribute sin to us until we reach the age of reason. Which is about puberty. But at that point, we become responsible for our sin. That is why it is so hard to reach a teenager. God is the only one that can draw people to Himself. We preach the gospel and pray and let God draw all men to Himself.

Crain Blanchard.

http://www.joseph1637.com

Paul wrote to the Romans about judging each other. He said there was no excuse to do it. Because you do the same thing and condemn yourself.
But God is the only one who can judge rightly.
But do you think that you will escape the judgement of God? Why are you jealous of the goodness of God? It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance.
Why do you harden your heart against God and His judgement? You just store up judgement against yourself. God will give to each man according to his deeds. For God isn’t a respecter of persons. Paul had a specific group of people in mind when he wrote this. But it applies to everyone. If we condemn people is comes back to bite us. God is the only person who can judge rightly. He is the only person who is good. And it is that goodness that leads us home.

Crain Blanchard.

http://www.joseph1637.com

Paul was in Corinth. There he me Aquila and Priscilla. They were Jewish believers living in Rome. Caesar had ordered all Jews out of Rome. Paul find out from them how the church in Rome was doing. Paul wrote to the Roman Church to tell them he was coming. Just in case he didn’t get there, he wrote as complete an explanation of the gospel as he could. Jewish believers were trying to turn the Christians into Jewish believers. Paul explained that both Jew and Christian are the same through Jesus Christ. But we are all justified through faith. God gave the law to convict us of sin, to understand that we need Jesus to get to God. Paul explained what would happen to the godless. And it would be their fault. Paul compared Leviticus to write Romans. It is the law verses grace. It is because grace comes by Jesus Christ. (Romans 1).

Crain Blanchard.

http://www.joseph1637.com

Psalms 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. By this time, Paul was martyred. Peter was in Rome, John in Ephesus. Most of the 12 Apostles have been martyred. There is a cost for preaching the word of God. To preach effectively, you must surrender your life to God. Even if it cost you your life. If you give your life to God, which everyone does at salvation, your life isn’t your own. You were bought with a price, Jesus. The apostles went about doing what God wanted them to do. The Timeline until the end of the 1st Century:

Epistle: 1 Peter – 66AD. written by Peter after Paul killed. Peter was in Rome with John Mark (1Pet.5:13; 2 Tim.4:11). Because of Paul’s death and Nero’s persecution, Peter wrote to the churches about fiery trials that come upon you and growing in grace and knowledge of Jesus. Peter sent the letter by Silas.

Epistle: 2 Peter – 67AD. written by Peter just before his death. He wrote a 2nd letter. This was addressed to the same people. Nero’s persecution was stronger than ever. Here Peter writes about making sure of our salvation, election and calling, the coming apostasy and the Lord’s coming. Peter was martyred not long after he wrote the epistle.

Epistle: Jude – 67 AD. Jude was the brother of Jesus. He wrote a warning to the Churches of Asia Minor. They should earnestly content for the faith and to complete the work the Father has given us to do.

Gospel: John – 90 AD. written by John at Ephesus.

Epistles: 1, 2, 3 John – 90 AD. written by John at Ephesus. John was living in Ephesus. There was a heresy growing, that said if your spirit is saved, you could live any way you wanted to. John wrote to the Churches, if we have fellowship with God, our lives will line up to the Word of God, to continue in the truth, not being deceived and truth and love will overcome pride and strife.

Epistle: Revelation – 96 AD. written by John at Ephesus after released from Patmos. He wrote this letter to the Churches in Asia Minor. He wrote of his vision of the Glorified Jesus, Christ’s message to the 7 Churches, about the Great Tribulation and the Eternal State of the Saints.

Crain Blanchard.

http://www.joseph1637.com

Paul was imprisoned in Rome for more than 2 years. Since he went to Jerusalem, it was about 5 years. Caesar did hear Paul preach the gospel. Paul was released after about 2 years. Only to be arrested again and this time martyred. During that 2 years of imprisonment, Paul wrote his letters, epistles to the churches. They are known as the Prison Epistles. With God’s plan, you are called to a specific place and time. God wants something in your life to occur, which in turn effects those around you. And if you are not there, those people around you will not be affected. Whether it’s to pray for healing, deliverance or salvation. God uses us to bring about His plan. God can use somebody else, but it takes time. Think about how long it took God to get you to do something.

Epistle: Prison Epistles:

Ephesians - Paul wrote to the Ephesians about being in Christ Jesus. Who you are in Christ and then what to do because you are in Christ. We as believers are one in Christ.

Philippians - Paul wrote to the Philippians to express his love and appreciation of their support of his ministry. The Philippian church was an example of what a church is suppose to be.

Colossians - Epaphras of the Colossea church came to Paul and told him of a heresy spreading in his church. Paul wrote them about the deity and Lordship of Jesus. The best way to meet error or heresy is to emphasize the truth. Controversy wins few converts.

Philemon - Paul wrote to his friend and brother in the Lord, Philemon, to accept back his runaway slave, Onesimus. Onesimus ran away to Rome. Paul found him there. Onesimus received Jesus and became a faithful worker with Paul. Paul sent Onesimus back  to Philemon as a brother in the Lord. Just as Jesus reconciles us back to God.

2 Timothy - Pastoral Letter. Nero began persecuting the Church. Paul was arrested and condemned to death. He wrote Timothy the last letter to instruct ministers on how to stand, a challenge to endure and to be faithful in the face of trials; to be instant in season and out. 

Crain Blanchard.
www.joseph1637.com

Time: 60-61AD. Paul’s journey to Rome, winter 60AD.

Epistle: Titus – Paul on his way to Rome, leaves Titus in Crete, writes to Him. He wrote to Titus about appointing elders, bishops, and pastors, to teach sound doctrine, and maintain good works. Titus became the bishop of Crete and died there of old age.

Time:61-63AD. Paul in Rome for 2 years.

Epistle: Hebrews – written from Rome, Pauline Epistle. Written to believers in Jerusalem who were about to be driven out by the Roman army. It was to reassure them that their faith was in Jesus Christ, not in the temple or the sacrifices. It is about the Person of Jesus Christ, the work of Calvary and the elements of the Faith Life.

Epistle: 1 Timothy – Pastoral Letter. Paul sent Timothy to pastor the Church at Ephesus. The Church was made up of hundreds of Home Churches. During the 1st Century, Ephesus was the center of Christianity. There were hundreds of pastors and leaders. Paul wrote this letter for Timothy to instruct all of these pastors.

Gospel: Mark – 62 AD. – written by John Mark in Rome with Paul in prison.

Paul wasn’t the only apostle, he did evangelize the Romans empire and write many books of the bible. Peter came to Rome to see about Paul. John Mark traveled with him and stayed in Rome with Paul. James the elder was killed in Jerusalem by Herod. His brother John was the bishop of Jerusalem. Doubting Thomas went to India. Philip went to Asia Minor. Matthew went to Africa. James the lesser became bishop of Jerusalem after John went to Ephesus. Judas Thaddeus went to Armenia. Each man was called of God and went where God planned. All the apostles were martyred except John, the son of Zebedee. Each person was called and equipped by God to work in the kingdom of Heaven. So, what are you called to do for God?

Crain Blanchard.

http://www.joseph1637.com