Romans 3 - A greek taster....

apolytrosis - redemption

hilasterion - propitiation

endeixis - demonstration

Romans 3:24 - 26

“…. redemption of sinners, a propitiation of God’s wrath and a demonstration of his justice” BST Romans - John Stott (1994)

My connection with Christ

• Is Spiritual  - established by God though the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:13)
• Is Incarnational - because Jesus became a man, like us (1 Cor 6:17)
• Is Covenental - it has a legal basis (1 Cor 15:22)
• Is Vital - like a vine and its branches (John 15:1-17)
• Is Intimate - like a man and his wife (Eph 5: 31-32)
• And Is Corporate - the whole church is joined in Christ (1 Cor 12: 12-27)

It is from these connections that we receive all the blessings of salvation!

(from The Message of Salvation, Ryken, 2001)

20:20 vision from the book of Job

“Surely he will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure”

Yup - our money or our possessions can’t save us. Insight from Job 20v20…

Worshipping God alone

Why worship God alone? Of course, God alone is worthy is my worship. God demands it of himself. In the past this has made me cringe a bit. Society tends to think of people demanding attention or ‘worship’ as being arrogant, or self centered. So to hear of God saying that he should have ALL our worship may seem arrogant. But God deserves it, for his own sake - but also for ours too. The evangelist Pete Woodcock wrote that God would be wicked and warped if he encouraged us to treat anything else as worthy of our worship…things that would fail to satisfy us. Jesus said that a father would not give his son a scorpion if he wanted bread. This is something similar. If God did not demand our worship he would be allowing / encouraging us to chase after things that would not satisfy our hunger. God is not like that. He is loving. It seems to me that to be hungry for God and his glory is the only thing that will satisfy me.

Last day....

It’s my last day at Defra tomorrow. Technically I will return from my career break in a year’s time. God knows. But right now I feel like I’m not coming back. I’ve been a professional economist since 2001. I first studied economics seriously for my GCSEs - back in 1993. I’ve only ever wanted to do economics. But before then I wanted to serve God. I thank God for the opportunity to serve Him in the civil service, but now I have the opportunity to devote more time to this service. 

It’s not just the work, or the people I will miss. I think it’s the area. So much has happened for me in that Victoria / Westminster area. I feel like different streets have their own story to tell of me. I thank God also for protecting me in that place too, and also for being able to prayer walk those streets too. 

And now, the end is near. But unlike Frank I’m doing it His way.