Predestination Q&A – Romans 8:28-30
Greg Blosser
Wrapping up the last couple of messages on the issues of predestination and foreknowledge, we unpack Romans 8 and 9 a little further and answer related questions from the congregation raised in the last few weeks.
Listen now. (63m 11s – 14.5MB mp3)
But What About “Free Will”? – Romans 9:1-5
Greg Blosser
The question of predestination inevitably brings up the question “but what about ‘free will’”. The answer is this: “yes, God does have free will.”
We examine Romans 9 this week and see that God does not abuse his free will, but that he is sovereign, merciful, and free in exercising his will upon all of creation.
Listen now. (49m 53s – 11.5 MB)
There Is No “Plan B” – Romans 8:28-30
Greg Blosser – March 5, 2006
“Predestination.”
The word by itself is enough to evoke strongly negative and positive reactions from an equal number of people. But what is predestination? What does the Bible have to say about it, and what does it mean for the Christian and the Church? Can the idea of predestination actually be of comfort?
This week, we take a look at Romans 8:28-30, where Paul delivers the comforting news to the Roman church that they are among God’s chosen and secure people in Christ.
Listen now. (43m 52s – 10 MB mp3)
Adopted Children Can Face Life Fearlessly – Romans 8:14-18
Greg Blosser – February 19, 2006
In Romans 8:14-18, Paul encourages the Roman church with the news that they have been adopted as true children of God. As God’s people today, we can take this same encouragement, knowing that our loving Father protects us through suffering, provides for us through our failings, and accepts us though others may reject us. We can face life without fear.
Listen now. (47m 05s – 10.7 MB)
Romans 8:1-4, Part 2 – January 29, 2006
Greg Blosser
Christian, take comfort! Freedom is alive in you! Last week, we looked at Romans 8:1-4 and examined the objective realities — things that are true outside of us — of the freedom Christ gives us. This week, we deal with the same passage, this time taking a look at how these realities affect us — subjectively.
Listen now. (51m 46s – 11.8mb MP3 — You may have to crank the volume on this one.)
Romans 8:1-4
Greg Blosser
Romans 8 is one of the most comfort-filled portions of the New Testament. This week, we examine the first four verses, along with related passages from the Old Testament, to see the objective realities of justification. Here, the Apostle Paul ensures us that those who are in Christ face no condemnation from the Law, and shows us that God is the initiator of relationship between Himself and humankind.
Listen now. (47m 44s – 10.9 mb MP3)
Romans 7:7-25
Greg Blosser
Contrary to some of our hopes, becoming a Christian does not automatically and fully remove the influence of sin on our lives. Likewise, our forgiveness isn’t a license to remain in our sin-infested state. In the second part of Romans 7, the Apostle Paul writes about our sanctification — our being made holy in Christ — and how it is an “already/not yet” reality. “Already” in the sense that we have been made holy in God’s sight; “not yet” in the sense that sin, while no longer our master, still rears its ugly head if it’s given the opportunity.
Thanks be to God, he’s still working on us.
Listen now. (46m 08s – 10.5mb MP3)
(This is a corrected version. If you downloaded the previous version posted, you missed the last two and a half minutes. Download this one.)
Romans 7:1-6
Greg Blosser
This week, we resume our verse-by-verse series in Romans.
What is the Law? What does it do? It is an accuser? A taskmaster? A relentless reminder of our human shortcomings? We examine Romans 7:1-6 to see that it serves one of two roles in our lives: judge or guide.
Listen now. (45m 31s – 10.4 mb mp3)
