Romans 2:5 (KJV) Don’t Refuse to Repent

 

Romans 2:5 (KJV)

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

The key to Romans 2:6-12 (KJV)
Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
For there is no respect of persons with God.
For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
appears to me to be verse five.

The passage is not teaching any form of works-based salvation. Instead, it warns against having a hard heart and refusing to repent. The terms hardness and impenitent are not repetitive. They address the two aspects of the lost soul.

Hardness
Barnes calls this “the insensibility of the mind.” It refers to the one who is spiritually blind and

incapable of seeing the work of God as it is in the world. History is, after all, His-story. All that we see in the creation points to the Lord. The yearning of the heart to live, and to live forever, points to something other than the few short years allotted in this world. The existence even of evil tells us that there has to be a better “something.” The Bible explains that all of this points to God, who reconciles fallen man to Himself. The gospel of Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection, provide satisfactory evidence of the Bible’s message. It is a hard heart that does not see this.

Impenitent
Thayer’s Dictionary says this is “admitting no change of mind.” Thus, a hard and impenitent heart can’t see and will not change its mind.

• It is the one who refuses to turn to God who faces: indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish.
• It is the one who acknowledges God and turns to Him through Jesus Christ who may look forward to: glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life.

And this is the same for the Jew and the Gentile, “For there is no respect of persons with God.”

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

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Romans 2:5 (KJV) Don’t Refuse to Repent

Jonah 1:5 (KJV) Man, or the Son of Man

Jonah 1:5 (KJV)

Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

It seems to me that there is a deliberate contrast/comparison between the account of Jonah and that of Jesus.

Matthew 12:40 (KJV)
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

• 
  
  Jonah ran from the will of the Lord
• Jesus set his face like a flint toward the will of His Father

• Jonah found Himself in a storm
• Jesus faced storms of many sorts

• Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights
• Jesus was in the grave three days and three nights

• Jonah was fast asleep in the ship during the storm
• Jesus too slept in the storm

Mark 4:37-38 (KJV)
And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

• Jonah came forth of the whale’s belly to preach again
• Jesus came forth from the grave as Saviour of the sins of men

But Jonah was asked to call upon his God for the storm to end whereas Jesus called the storm and it obeyed. It’s the difference between and man, and the Son of Man. Men may serve the Lord imperfectly. Jesus is the perfect, undefiled and Almighty LORD of lords and KING of kings.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
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Jonah 1:5 (KJV) Man, or the Son of Man

Obadiah 1:11 (KJV) This Is Something Terrible

 

Obadiah 1:11 (KJV)

In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.

The Edomites, children of Esau, were close relatives of Israel but particularly obnoxious against them. They were unhelpful to them in their flight from Egypt; they were a thorn in their side in the days of the kings. Herod was an Edomite and a cruel leader in Jerusalem. His family killed John the Baptist, refused to help Jesus, and beheaded Apostle James. 

In this case, they are seen to stand by as Judah was destroyed. They rejoiced in their calamity, and they took advantage of their troubles for personal gain. 

There is something terrible when a bystander watches as another is injured and then plunders their things. They may not have committed the violence, but they did nothing to stop it and contribute to the suffering by treating the victim’s possessions as spoil.

The prophecy of Obadiah must surely have its fulfillment during the Millennial Kingdom. Then Jesus will judge from the valley of Jehoshaphat and rule from the throne in Jerusalem.

It is the character of God that He despises those who have little to no care for a hurting brother. It is especially despicable when they use another’s suffering to advance their own cause.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
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Obadiah 1:11 (KJV) This Is Something Terrible

Acts 27:10 (KJV) It Would Be So Much Better If ..

 

Acts 27:10 (KJV)

And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

Though Paul was not a mariner by trade, he had been a “frequent traveler.” Albert Barnes notes, “He might have perceived it from his own knowledge of the danger of navigation at the autumnal equinox, and from what he saw of the ship as unsuited to a dangerous navigation.” Men possessed of the wisdom of the Lord are often observers of life,

nature, and “the nature of things.” Powers of observation cause a man to see what others likely will not. On the other hand, Barnes writes, “But there is nothing that should prevent our believing also that he was guided to this conclusion by the inspiration of the Spirit of God.” Later in the voyage, Paul will directly admit that an angel of God had appeared to him with instructions for the safety of those on the vessel. The centurion did not believe Paul’s perception of things. Everyone believed him when the hope of their lives had been lost.

• I am happy that God, through Paul, cheered these sea-sick souls. 
• I am happy that no soul was lost at sea.
• I am happy that the will of the Lord was done despite the loss of the ship.

But there is a key verse that is so often ignored.

Acts 27:21 (KJV)
But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

I do not know the outcome had they hearkened unto him, but Paul was confident that they should have. It is a great blessing that God accomplishes His will regardless of whether we listen. But it would be so much better if people listened to the preacher’s pleadings, preaching, and even his inclinations.

They so often don’t. But they should.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

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Acts 27:10 (KJV) It Would Be So Much Better If ..

Amos 7:15 (KJV) An Unprofessional Preacher

Amos 7:15 (KJV)

And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

The “professional” of Amos’ day, Amaziah, urged him to quit preaching or go somewhere else to do his preaching. He was unhappy with the message, reported him to the king, and in what I am sure was a most unfriendly manner, told him to flee the area. Amos’ response was simple. He was doing what God had called him to do, where God had called him to do it, and therefore would take his instructions from the Lord and continue preaching.

It is sure that we have developed too much of a professional class of preacher in our current climate. We’ve got men who go where they can get the best paycheck, preach in a manner that they can get the best results, and say what will keep them in the best circle of peers. It’s a ministry. They surely want to serve the Lord. But it’s a ministry of pragmatism. They want to be successful, respected and grow in their field.

We need some more Amos’s. His message would likely have been better received in Judah than in Israel. He could have avoided conflict in Judah rather than in Israel. The priesthood of Judah may have accepted him rather than that of Israel.

But Amos wasn’t a professional preacher. Amos was a servant of the Lord. So, in verse 17, despite the warnings of Amaziah, Amos responded, “Therefore thus saith the Lord.“

He just kept preaching.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
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Amos 7:15 (KJV) An Unprofessional Preacher

Amos 5:21 (KJV) God Is Not Pleased

Amos 5:21 (KJV)
I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

Albert Barnes writes of this verse, “so secure were they, that the only sacrifice which they did not offer, was the sin or trespass offering. Worshiping “nature,” not a holy, Personal, God, they had no sense of unholiness, for which to plead the Atoning Sacrifice to come.”

We have come such a time in our Christian society when the professing believers have compromised the Word of God so frequently and in such a broad number of ways that they can no longer distinguish what is and isn’t of the Lord.

God is not pleased. 

• He does not hear their prayers. 
• He is not honored in their forms of worship. 
• He does not visit in their assemblies.

They speak of God and His glories. They debate the timing of His coming. They claim to be Christians but blame God for the evil in the world. They know not that it is their own compromise that has rendered themselves ineffective instruments before Him.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
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Amos 5:21 (KJV) God Is Not Pleased

Amos 4:4 (KJV) Leading Away from God

Amos 4:4 (KJV)

Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years:

The construction of this text is irony. The people of Israel had created their own religion (or rather their king had) and they believed it. They had their own house of worship. They had their own holy places, they had their own sacrifices, they had their own seasons for tithes and offerings.

Somehow, they believed it was all as pleasing to the Lord as what God had given them in Judah.

We witness it over and again in our society. Men (and sometimes women) with leadership capabilities have established:

• Their own places of worship,
• Their own history of worship
• Their own systems of worship
• Their own ordinances of worship
• Their own offerings for worship

They are fully committed to their religion, none seemingly concerned that their leaders have led them apart from the Word of God.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi provides a means for those who appreciate my content to leave me a “tip.” I would be thankful for it.

Amos 4:4 (KJV) Leading Away from God