Popular Pauline Passages pt 4

1. TO LIVE IS CHRIST TO DIE IS GAIN (Phil 4:21) a) “For to me” – Not just Paul’s judgement but his own personal life. b) “To live is Christ” – Phil 3:7, Gal 2:20, 2Cor 5:14-15 – His life was in Christ and he lived fully for him. c) “To die is gain” – “because you go to heaven” is inserted here. What is the gain here? • No longer suffering in prison? – Phil 1:19 • Gain for the gospel/Christ? – Phil 1:12-20. • Going to heaven? – Phil 1:23. d) Phil 1:22-24 cf 2Cor 5:1-8 – Paul speaks about the resurrection in his other epistles not going to heaven – Rom 6:5, 1Cor 15:21-24, 2Cor 4:14, Phil 3:7-11 e) Conclusion – Paul does not say the gain here is going to heaven, that is assumed. We must use scripture to interpret scripture. 2. GRACE ABOUNDS (Rom 5:20) a) “Moreover the law entered” – Not only were many made sinners through Adam’s disobedience, but the law also entered…. Why? b) “that the offense might abound” – The law shows your sin – Rom 7:7-11, 1Tim 1:8-11. c) “But where sin abounded” – Because of the law – Rom 3:19-20 d) “Grace did much more abound” – Because of Christ – Rom 5:15, 1Tim 1:11-16. Grace abounds today because it is reigning – Rom 5:21, Eph 3:1-2, Acts 20:24. • We do not sin so that grace can abound – Rom 6:1, 15, 3:8. e) Conclusion – Grace abounds today because God is offering salvation freely to all. We being no longer under the law but grace. This is not a license to sin but rather a gift of God so that we can be saved and live for Christ. 3. WHOSEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED (Rom 10:13 a) Quoted as part of the Romans road. Used by preachers to get people to come to an alter. b) If we understand the mystery we know this is not the gospel commissioned to Paul – Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21. c) Context of Romans 10 is dealing with Israel and their confession Rom 9:1-5, 10:1,14. d) “Whosever” – Not unique to Paul – Ruth, Ragan, John 3:16, Jer 17:7, Acts 10:42-43. e) “shall call upon the name of the lord” – Gen 4:26, 26:25, Psalm 99:6-8, 116. f) What’s missing for Romans 10? – Death, Burial, & Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the gospel whereby ye are saved – 1Cor 15:1-4. g) Conclusion – Romans chapter 9-11 is dealing with Israel and how they heard the gospel and their messiah was sent to them but they did not believe. It is dealing with their fall and is not explaining the gospel whereby we are saved today. You can’t just call upon the name of the lord and be saved, but rather have to have faith in his death and resurrection for you.