Monday, September 06, 2004
Ang init! It's was so hot today (Sunday). At a high of 98°F, that's hotter than how the Philippines usually gets, but thankfully with less humidity.
Anyway, what's been going on so far? Well, on Friday there wasn't a College and Career bible study, so I went to church to join the youth group for their bible study. That explains the pictures on my previous post. They've started a series on using the Law as an evangelism tool.
Romans 7
7What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." 8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
Yeah, so I think too often we hear about the benefits and blessings of accepting Christ in our lives (which are true to an extent) but without touching too much on the issues of sin and hell and the need for repentance. How can a person really accept salvation without the knowledge of what they're being saved from? Most people would probably think, "That's great that Jesus saves, but I don't need any saving. I'm a good person. I haven't done anything wrong." That's why we have the Law, not as a mere list of do's and don'ts, but to show us God's standard and how much we fall short of it. To show that no one is "good". Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen anything? Have you ever looked at another person with lust? I have, and that's only three of the ten commandments. By God's standard, I should be going to hell and deservedly so. However, I'm thankful for His loving grace and mercy that by sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross and take my punishment upon Himself, I am spared from eternal damnation.
Romans 5
20The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ok, well... Saturday night, I went to Saddleback Church to watch Mae in Ohana, the hula ministry that she's a part of over there. Afterwards, James, Mae, and I ate dinner at Pasta Bravo. I went to their house afterwards, and that's when James and I played 007: Everything or Nothing until 2 in the morning.
Sunday arrived, and we all find out at church that Jed and Aimee just got engaged. Uh-huh... I mean, Woo hoo! Congratulations! Hmm... when we were filming that Marli and Kevin video, I'm sure Jed got a lot of practice during the proposal scene. Well, after that, since Marli was working the night shift, I hung out with Kevin at their place and watched Master and Commander. It was pretty cool.
So there you have it, a pretty packed weekend. Oh wait, Monday's Labor Day. Weekend's not over yet...
Anyway, what's been going on so far? Well, on Friday there wasn't a College and Career bible study, so I went to church to join the youth group for their bible study. That explains the pictures on my previous post. They've started a series on using the Law as an evangelism tool.
Romans 7
7What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." 8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
Yeah, so I think too often we hear about the benefits and blessings of accepting Christ in our lives (which are true to an extent) but without touching too much on the issues of sin and hell and the need for repentance. How can a person really accept salvation without the knowledge of what they're being saved from? Most people would probably think, "That's great that Jesus saves, but I don't need any saving. I'm a good person. I haven't done anything wrong." That's why we have the Law, not as a mere list of do's and don'ts, but to show us God's standard and how much we fall short of it. To show that no one is "good". Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen anything? Have you ever looked at another person with lust? I have, and that's only three of the ten commandments. By God's standard, I should be going to hell and deservedly so. However, I'm thankful for His loving grace and mercy that by sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross and take my punishment upon Himself, I am spared from eternal damnation.
Romans 5
20The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ok, well... Saturday night, I went to Saddleback Church to watch Mae in Ohana, the hula ministry that she's a part of over there. Afterwards, James, Mae, and I ate dinner at Pasta Bravo. I went to their house afterwards, and that's when James and I played 007: Everything or Nothing until 2 in the morning.
Sunday arrived, and we all find out at church that Jed and Aimee just got engaged. Uh-huh... I mean, Woo hoo! Congratulations! Hmm... when we were filming that Marli and Kevin video, I'm sure Jed got a lot of practice during the proposal scene. Well, after that, since Marli was working the night shift, I hung out with Kevin at their place and watched Master and Commander. It was pretty cool.
So there you have it, a pretty packed weekend. Oh wait, Monday's Labor Day. Weekend's not over yet...
