Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

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August 8, 2014

Greetings, dear people.

Nice summer morning again. I forgot to take a plastic bag this morning on our little walk/jog into which I would put blackberries that are at their peak right now. So I just picked a bunch—and ate them on the spot. There are two varieties available now with different flavors. Both are very good.

I just finished a little wiring job for my flat bed trailer. Now I need to get the mill active and try to finish up a little lumber production project.

This passage in Romans 1 is truly a foundational thesis to explain man’s accountability to God and the basic lines of cause and effect that relate to much of what is happening in our world and culture. There is definitely a lot of crazyness and perversion booming around us. If we don’t understand the premise that Paul presents here, I think we can get overly tangled up in debating the issues.

I hope you chalk up a blessed day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

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08 August
Romans 1:18-32
Focus: "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:21.

I’ve read this passage many times in the past, but it has never jumped off the page and flashed with current-day relevant lighting as it did this morning (8/8/12…and again this morning—8/8/14). Please read it carefully. I think it offers profound clarity on how and why we behold so much bizarre stuff going on in our confused chaotic world, and clarifies the reasonableness of man’s inescapable accountability to his Maker. It confirms that seeking God has profound benefits. Rejecting God has profound consequences. If He is indeed the Sovereign Creator/Designer/Savior, how could things possibly be otherwise?!?!

Let’s review some fundamental facts (In this regard, I choose to not be ashamed of being a “fundamentalist.”) from an overview of the illuminating Word of God:

1. There are 2 kinds of people: WISE and FOOLISH, made so by the choices they make with their God-given intelligence and free will—ultimately equated with SAVED and LOST.
2. There are 2 kingdoms: The KINGDOM OF GOD, which is the Kingdom of LIGHT, and there is the KINGDOM OF SATAN, which is the kingdom of DARKNESS.
3. There are 2 basic goals represented by the 2 kingdoms: God wants you to be WISE and live in LIGHT, while Satan wants you to be FOOLISH and live in DARKNESS.

If we can get our heads and hearts wrapped around these fundamental concepts so as to embrace them as TRUTH, I believe we can spare ourselves a lot of unnecessary struggle, confusion, and damage.

Without spending much time with commentary, I’m going to insert three other scriptures that are very meaningful to me, but emphasize some key words with parenthetical amplifications.

“The path of the righteous (WISE) is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day (eternal HEAVEN). But the way of the wicked (FOOLISH) is like deep darkness, they do not know (because by their own choices they are UNENLIGHTENED and FOOLISH) what makes them stumble” (Proverbs 4:18-19).

“Those who are wise (WISE in choices) will shine like the brightness of the heavens (lots of LIGHT), and those who lead many to righteousness (WISDOM in choices), like the stars for ever and ever (that’s a very long time!)” (Daniel 12:3).

“But if (meaning we don’t have to—it’s a choice) we walk in the light (LIGHT of God’s TRUTH), as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another (RELATIONSHIP—not just religious form), and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (God’s salvation plan is achieved)” (1 John 1:7). Praise Him!