Category Archives: Gospel

Bible, Excuses, Gospel, Manifested, Revelation, Salvation, Scripture

WITHOUT EXCUSE

ROMANS 1:20

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”

There have been a few times in my life when I have been without excuse. One was the time I told my wife to “shut up.” There is never an excuse for that, and I apologized profusely. Another time was forgetting to send a group of children to a children’s camp. No excuse, just forgot the date. I could go on, but I am sure you have your own “without excuse” moments. But there is one moment in your life you do not want to be without excuse. Let’s look at today’s verse.

Paul says in verse 20 that no one, not even the person who has never heard the Gospel, has an excuse to not believe in God. He says God’s “eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived.” As I have mentioned in a recent blog, God isn’t trying to hide Himself. He wants to be seen by us. He wants us to hear His voice. Even in the deepest, darkest jungles God is revealing Himself.

APPLICATION

HELPS Word studies defines the Greek word translated as “without excuse” this way. “(anapológētos) comes from ‘alpha privative’ (a/‘not’) and apologeomai (‘to defend, excuse’). It ‘occurs in documents from the second century before Christ. Frequently it describes the hopelessness of trying to defend a case in court, while lacking an adequate defense.” The word is only used here and later in Romans 2:1 (which we will see later).

In Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, he writes, “Our Creator’s invisible power and Godhead are so clearly shown in the works he has made, that even idolaters and wicked Gentiles are left without excuse. They foolishly followed idolatry; and rational creatures changed the worship of the glorious Creator, for that of brutes, reptiles, and senseless images. They wandered from God, till all traces of true religion must have been lost, had not the revelation of the gospel prevented it.”

Therefore, we have no excuse for not sharing the Gospel with these lost and eternally dying individuals. That’s why we send missionaries to the remotest parts of the world. I heard recently that approximately 4.5 billion people are lost. Of that 2.25 billion have never heard the Gospel. To put that in perspective, if you lined up that group five people across and three feet apart, they would circle the globe five times. All of them are marching to hell. We are “without excuse.” We must share to as many as quickly as we can.

Lord, give me opportunities today to share the Gospel with someone who needs to hear about salvation through Your Son, Jesus.  

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Gospel, Sanctification, Scripture, Set Apart

SET APART FOR THE GOSPEL

ROMANS 1:1

“Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,”

We begin a 433 day journey today through the book of Romans, one verse at a time – all 433 verses. Are you ready? I truly thought about stopping my blog again, but each time I think about that and pray about it, someone reaches out with an encouraging comment saying how much these blogs mean to them. Listen, I am flattered, but that is not why I keep writing. I just feel compelled to do so. So, hang out for this ride through Romans.

As we begin in verse 1, Paul introduces himself with this description – “set apart for the gospel of God.” We know all about Paul’s conversion on the Damascus Road and the message he received from a reluctant Ananias. We know about Barnabas coming alongside him and being set apart by the leadership in Jerusalem. But this description, I think, goes beyond that. Paul knew he had a holy calling to preach the gospel wherever and to whomever God led. The cost did not matter, only the calling.

APPLICATION

The Topical Lexicon explains the use of the Greek word for “set apart” this way, “The verb’s ten New Testament occurrences paint a cohesive theology: God separates to bless, sanctify, and send; humans may separate wrongly through fear or prejudice; and ultimately the exalted Son will separate all humanity in righteousness.” The word is used in a variety of ways, but they all mean to separate from something else.

Are you “set apart”? Have you separated yourself from the influence of the world? That’s not as easy as you think. All around us are people or companies trying to influence us in one way or the other. It is so important that we surround ourselves with like-minded people. We should try as much as possible to patronize like-minded businesses. We can’t isolate ourselves, but we can sure insulate ourselves.

In Matthew 25:31-33, Jesus “sets apart” or “separates” those who follow Him and those who don’t. “31 ‘But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left.” The choice is simple – be set apart now so you will be set apart later. Amen? Amen!

Father, thank You for setting me apart for Your Gospel. Help me share it daily.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Beware, Bible, Enemies, Evil, Gospel, Scripture, Warnings

BEWARE!

PHILIPPIANS 3:2

“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;”

Contrary to what some of my UGA Dawg haters claim, this verse is NOT talking about my beloved Dawgs, lol. Seriously though, this verse is a warning verse. Being aware of your surroundings is important, especially on the highway. My Uncle always warns me before I leave on a road trip to “watch out for those fools on the road.” In other words, drive defensively.

Paul tells us to beware of three things – dogs, evil workers and the false circumcision. We’ll take a look at what he meant by all three. But first, why did he tell us to “beware”? That’s the Greek word blépō which means “to see, be observant (watchful).  Blépō) suggests ‘to see something physical, with spiritual results (perception).’ That is, it carries what is seen into the non-physical (immaterial) realm so a person can take the needed action (respond, beware, be alert).” (HELPS Word studies). Paul tells them to put on their spiritual eyes.

APPLICATION

Paul says to “beware of dogs.” The word for “dogs” was used to describe a spiritual predator who feeds off others. Dogs were not like they are today. Back then most dogs were scavengers. In fact, one term they were called was “mooch pooch” because they ran around mooching off anything they could find. Spiritual dogs look for weaknesses in others and pounce on them to try to bring them down.

“Evil workers” are those “Judaizing teachers, who,..pretend to be strenuous advocates for good works, are, in fact, evil workers; sowing the seeds of discord, strife, contention, and division, among the…members of Christ.” (Benson commentary). There is nothing much worse than someone pretending to be one thing but turning out to be something totally different. You might call these individuals a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Lastly, Paul “beware of the false circumcision.” These were the people who insisted that circumcision was required of the Gentiles for salvation. Paul seemed to battle this group wherever he went. But Paul insisted that adding anything to what Christ did on the cross for us was, in fact, adding to the Gospel.

Now, let me warn you. These people are still out there. All three still exist in some form or the other. Sadly, many of them are in our churches trying to tear down the purpose of the church and its mission. Keep your spiritual eyes on. Look past the physical into the spiritual motives of people. Our only purpose should be to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and glorify the Father in heaven.

O Lord, give me Your eyesight to perceive and recognize those who would do me or others harm spiritually.

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Bible, Gospel, Offering, Sacrifice, Scripture

BEING POURED OUT

PHILIPPIANS 2:17

“But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.”

There have been many stories told of soldiers, airmen, sailors, or Marines who have given their lives for the sake of others. A soldier sees a live grenade thrown near his fellow soldiers and dives on it to protect them. A Marine charges a machine gun to defend his buddies. These are examples of someone sacrificing themselves for others. They literally poured out their lives for them. (Look up the story of PFC Kenneth J. David for a great example.)

In today’s verse, Paul uses a Greek word that is only used one other time in the New Testament (also by Paul). The word is spendó, and it means to be poured out in total surrender. You are holding nothing back. You are giving it all. Here in Philippians, we know Paul was incarcerated under house arrest in Rome. He was ready to die for the sake of the Gospel. He was doing this as an example to the Philippian church and others. He was not afraid to give up his life for Christ. He was eventually released but was arrested again.

APPLICATION

We see the second use of spendó in 2 Timothy 4:6. “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.” Paul was in a Roman prison again, but this time he would not leave. Paul was martyred not long after writing this letter to his beloved disciple. He was ready. As they say, “He left it all on the field.” Paul poured himself out for others.

Many scholars believe Paul was thinking about the Old Testament practice of pouring wine out for the sacrifices to Jehovah. In Numbers 15:5, we read, “and you shall prepare wine for the drink offering, a fourth of a hin, with the burnt offering or for the sacrifice, for each lamb.” See also Numbers 28:7, 14. This would have been common knowledge for a Pharisee, which Paul had been before his conversion. Of course, he could see the parallel of his “sacrifice” and the Old Testament sacrifices.

Paul was not implying his “pouring out” held any spiritual significance for others. His death would not save them. Only Christ could do that. But his “pouring out” was meant to show others his willingness to die for Jesus, to give everything for the sake of the Gospel. How about you? Are you willing to be poured out for Jesus?

O Lord, I give my life as a libation for You. Use me as You see best.

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Bible, Citizen, Conduct, Gospel, Heaven, Scripture, Testimony

WHETHER PRESENT OR ABSENT

PHILIPPIANS 1:27

“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”

I have shared before that years ago I worked for about six months at Walmart on their third shift (10 pm – 6 am). On that shift my job was to unload the trucks that arrived and stock shelves. It was a part-time job, but one I kind of enjoyed. A number of the employees, however, didn’t share the same attitude. They would look busy when the boss came by but would find places to hide and sleep or just goof off.

Paul wasn’t the Philippian believers’ boss, but he expected them to do the right thing whether he was present or absent. This verse is one we should all take to heart because He is coming soon. Amen? We need to be doing these same things today. Paul uses a Greek word here for “conduct yourselves” that is only used one other time in Acts 23:1 (we’ll see that in a minute). The word is politeuomai which means to live as a citizen. Let’s explore that.

APPLICATION

To live as a citizen means to live by the rules and laws of that city or country. One problem with illegal immigration is that they begin their life in the U.S. by breaking our laws. Now, don’t send me letters and postcards. I am just stating a fact. Being a good citizen implies maintaining the standard set by your community. In the Philippians’ case, Paul was exhorting them to live up to the standards set by Jesus.

In Acts 23:1, Paul is talking in his defense before the chief priests and the Jewish council. “Now looking intently at the Council, Paul said, ‘Brothers, I have lived my life with an entirely good conscience before God up to this day.’” The phrase “have lived my life” is politeuomai. Paul had nothing to be ashamed of. He was living to please the Lord, not men. He was being a good citizen of heaven.

Are you living as a good citizen of heaven right now? Today is Easter Sunday. We have much to celebrate. Amen? We have the opportunity today to live in such a way that all those CEO (Christmas Easter Only) church goers that are in church today will marvel at our attitudes and worship. Live in such a way that the light of Jesus draws them like a moth to a streetlight. He is Risen!

O Lord, shine through me in every are of my life so that no matter where I am people will know that I am a citizen of heaven.

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Bible, Continue, Gospel, Jesus, Ministry, Scripture

CONTINUING

PHILIPPIANS 1:25

“Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,”

I have had some experiences that required me to continue doing something that was difficult. I had been given a task and couldn’t quit until the job was done. I remember one job in particular. I had to shovel out a grain bin that had gotten water in it and the corn near the bottom had rotted. That grain bin had to be shoveled out into the auger and allowed to dry completely so new corn kernels could be dumped in. Oh, did I say this was in South Georgia in August?

Paul wasn’t shoveling grain, but he was trudging through some very difficult times of ministry. He was on house arrest and guarded by a Roman guard at all times. Yet, he knew his life would not end there. The Lord had given him a task to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles. He wasn’t finished, and he was convinced God would free him to continue on. Why? For their “progress and joy in the faith.”

APPLICATION

The Greek word here for “continue” is parameno. “It implies steadfastness and persistence, often in the context of faith, relationships, or circumstances.” (Strong’s Lexicon) What are you steadfast about? Can you say that about your faith? God has given each of us a task to spread the Gospel. Our task is not much different than Paul. The world still needs to hear about Jesus, and God still uses people to do that.

This word parameno is used by James in James 1:25. “But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does.” We must continue in the Word. Only by doing that can we walk in freedom and share the good news of Jesus.

Paul was sure he would continue on in his ministry. He had no idea how he would escape the chains he was in right then, but his confidence did not waiver. I want to urge you, beloved, to have that same confidence. God is not done with you yet. He has a wonderful plan for your life and wants to use you for His kingdom work. Continue on!

Lord, give me the peace that passes understanding as I trust You to continue using me for Your work.

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Bible, Gospel, Motive, Rejoicing, Scripture, Truth

REJOICE IN CHRIST

PHILIPPIANS 1:18

“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. But not only that, I also will rejoice,”

Sometimes people’s motives for doing something is outweighed by the result they have. Case in point – today’s verse. We’ll get there in a second or two. “The end justifies the means” is NOT what Paul is saying here. That is an unbiblical statement. We can’t do anything we want any way we want as long as we point to God. I could name examples I know about, but I shall refrain from doing so. That in itself would do exactly what I am saying we should not do.

Many scholars say this about what Paul says here. “Of course, this rejoicing does not refer to the impure intention of the preachers, but to the objective result.” These Jewish believers in question were preaching Jesus but were holding the Gentiles to the Mosaic Laws regarding festivals and ordinances. They were attempting to “steal away” Paul’s followers and build their own. BUT they were preaching Jesus as the Messiah Who had come to save all mankind. For that, Paul is rejoicing.

APPLICATION

Matthew, Mark and Luke all use the word for “pretense” when they quoted Jesus as He taught against the Pharisees and Scribes. Luke 20:46-47 says, “46 ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love personal greetings in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 47 who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive all the more condemnation.’” (See also Matthew 23:14 and Mark 12:38-40)

Notice Jesus wasn’t condemning their prayers. He was condemning their motives for the prayers. Perhaps there were those in the synagogues who were moved by their prayers, the mentioning of the name of Yahweh or the recitation of God’s Word in their prayers. Jesus didn’t say they shouldn’t pray. He warned of their motives.

How can we apply this to our lives? Don’t judge the eternal results of someone’s ministry. That’s for God to decide. We should be careful whom we support to ensure they are not teaching false doctrine or anything that would lead someone away from Christ. We have way too many Christian denominations with way too many traditions and teachings. Not all line up with the Word. But if someone of another denomination leads someone to Jesus, let’s celebrate that. Let’s rejoice in Christ as Paul did.

Father, help me ensure that I focus on the eternal results of anything I teach about Jesus.

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Bible, Envy, Gospel, Motive, Scripture, Strife

THE RIGHT MOTIVE

PHILIPPIANS 1:15

“Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from goodwill;”

If you turn on the television, especially on Sundays, you can find some preachers who are, to say it politely, a little questionable. One may ask themselves what their motive is for preaching the Gospel. My paternal grandmother was hooked by a televangelist back in the 80’s. After she passed my dad found where she had sent him a good bit of money, hoping for some miracle. That has always made me check my ego at the door when I share the Word.

This issue isn’t anything new. Today’s verse has Paul discussing this very thing. While some were stepping up and preaching the Word boldly while Paul was imprisoned, others were taking advantage of that void in the early Christian world. They were pursuing all the wrong things in their preaching. Paul says they were “preaching Christ even from envy and strife.” That’s pretty bold, don’t you think? Some things never change.

APPLICATION

Our application today is pretty clear – check your motive. When you share the Gospel, when you witness to someone, check your motive. Make sure you are doing these “kingdom works” for His glory and not your own. Remember 1 Corinthians 3:12-13? “12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each one’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 one’s work.”

Many scholars believe these people in question were the Judaizers who were always opposing Paul. They taught that you had to keep the Mosaic Law even after receiving Christ. They even tried to force the Gentile believers to embrace this. They were all about building themselves up in front of the people, not Christ.

Now, your methodology may not be envious or strifeful, but if the motive is not purely to glorify Christ, you’ve got the wrong motive. Ask yourself If I receive no credit for this, would I still do it? Ask the Lord if your motive is pure. He will definitely tell you. Preach the Word. Share the Gospel. But do it for Jesus and no one else.

O Lord, keep my motives pure as I share the Gospel with others.

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Bible, Circumstances, Gospel, Prison, Progress, Scripture

IS THIS AN APRIL FOOL’S JOKE?

PHILIPPIANS 1:12

“Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,”

Today is April Fool’s Day, a day when people try to pull pranks on others. Sometimes they are funny. Other times – not so much. I have been the perpetrator of pranks and the victim too. Being a jokester myself, I kind of like this day. If you pull a prank today, make sure it is harmless and demeaning. Just saying!

Paul was NOT pulling a prank when he wrote this verse to Philippians. He wrote this epistle from prison, so how could his “circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel”? That just doesn’t make sense to me. But Paul knew something about his circumstances. God would use them to spread the message of Jesus far and wide. He was sure of that.

APPLICATION

Today we have a very interesting word that is used by Paul. We translate it “progress.” You have to see what HELPS Word Studies says about this word. “Prokopḗ (from pró, ‘in front of’ and kóptō, ‘cut, chop down’) – properly, advance (progress) – literally, ‘advancement by chopping down whatever impedes progress’; furtherance. For the believer, this means going forward in sanctification, cutting through obstacles by the Lord’s power. [This root (prokop-) is also used in antiquity of pioneers and armies – clearing away (chopping down) forests in order to reach their destination.]”

Prokopḗ is only used two other times in the New Testament. Later in Philippians 1:25 we read, ”Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,” And in 1 Timothy 4:15, Paul tells Timothy, “Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.”

To borrow the definition we saw in HELPS, are you chopping and clearing a path with the Gospel? We have been given the Sword of the Spirit, God’s Holy Word, to do just that. Memorize, meditate and apply His Word today in all your interactions with others. Look for ways to say as Paul did that you see a greater progress of the Gospel.

Father God, use me today to be Your instrument to share Your Word with others.

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Bible, Gospel, Letters, Scripture, Sharing

PASS IT AROUND

COLOSSIANS 4:16

“When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part, read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.”

I had an image flash through my mind when I read this verse. It was not a spiritual image, more of a memory. I remember sitting at my Grandma Carter’s dining room table with all the family gathered around it. We would have this huge spread of food before us, and after saying grace, we would begin passing it around the table. We made sure everyone got the fried chicken and potato salad. Of course, you have to grab one of Grandma’s “cathead” biscuits and then came all the homegrown vegetables. Yum!

Paul wasn’t fixing Sunday dinner, but he was giving instructions to the church in Colossae to pass on this letter to another church body in Laodicea. They, in turn, would pass the letter they had received (which we don’t have) to them. Today, we would just forward the email or the text, right? You have to remember that back in Paul’s day, letter writing was a laborious process, taking lots of time and resources. That’s why he wanted them to share with each other.

APPLICATION

This seemingly unimportant verse here at the end of Colossians is just as important as any other verse. Why? Because it is part of God’s Word! How do we apply what this verse says? Simple! Pass it around! Share the good news. You have been given the greatest story ever told – Jesus Christ came to die for you, was crucified, buried and rose again to give us eternal life. Woohoo! Pass that on to someone.

There was a song in the 70’s that was popular with the teenagers and young adults entitled “Pass It On.” The lyrics were:

It only takes a spark to get a fire going.
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.
That’s how it is with God’s love,
Once you’ve experienced it,
You spread His love to everyone;
You want to pass it on.

Won’t you pass it on this week? Share the good news with your neighbor, friend or a stranger. Don’t keep it to yourself. Pass it along. Just like the fried chicken at my Grandma’s table, pass it along. Let everyone have the opportunity to taste of the goodness of God.

Lord, give me opportunities today to pass on the good news of Your Son to someone.

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