Navigating The Christian Life - Westminster Calvary

Transforming Grace

July 1, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 1:1–7

Romans has been called “The Gospel According to Grace” because it’s a book of inspiration & renewal! However, in the first three chapters Paul lays bare the need for the Gospel of grace because all are guilty! The secular man = Living a life as though God doesn’t exist! The self-righteous man = I’m ok, I’ll take my chances! The hypocritical religious man = I was raised with God! Now, as we put into practice use the New Testament, let’s understand at a high-level the reason for the different books. The N.T. can be broken into 4-major blocks: It starts with the Gospels which present the life & work of Jesus Christ! Followed by the book of Acts… Revealing the History of the early Church & work of the Holy Spirit. Next, Romans & the Epistles covering both doctrine & Christian living! Finally, Revelation which is the forth-telling of what’s to come through the unveiling of Jesus Christ’s rule & reign on earth.

Fruit, Fellowship and Faith

July 8, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 1:8

As we learned last week, Romans is known as “The Gospel According to Grace”, because of the inspiration & renewal it brings! As we learn about the conditions in Rome when Paul wrote this, around (A.D. 56 - 58), the cultural tones magnify the beauty of grace God has given! It's like watching a great movie where the under-dog gains strength to overcome by the end of the movie – victory! Well Rome was an awesome place to live for the elite with a population of about one-million people. But for the lower-class Rome was a daily struggle! The lower class lived in multi-story homes, like apartments – think big city living! Crime was a real factor because food / water / & sanitation were scares commodities. Beyond that when someone became a Christian their families typically pushed off of them because Christians were labeled as: “Enemies of the human race.”

Fellowship and Faith

July 24, 2015 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 1:9–17

As we continue in the discovery of God’s love for people let’s start by grabbing hold of truth! “The gospel is not advice to people, suggesting that they lift themselves up. Rather it is the very power that lifts them up.” (Morris) The Gospel message changes peoples lives! In (Acts 9:6) Paul was changed in an instances from a madman into a guy that was not ashamed of the Gospel. Well today we’re going to explore two simple points: Fellowship & Faith

Heart Trouble

August 7, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 1:18–23

Last time we left off in (v.17) Talking about the righteousness of God & living by faith. Let me encourage you today, because the word “Righteousness” simply means right clothing! We need right clothing before God! We’re clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Remember in (Gen 3:10) Adam sinned & was naked & hid himself from God. Adam tried to use his own clothing (own ways). (Gen 3:7) Adam sewed fig leaves together for clothing. But we know today our own efforts to appease God will never be good enough!

I'm Glad I Don't Look Like That!

September 4, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 2:1–16

So the first wave of this powerful conversation was in the vein of what is theologically called: “Judicial Abandonment.” Maybe you and I would call it tough-love. In essence, when God turns people over to impurity, It’s all about redemption! (1:24) “He gave them up to uncleanness…” (1:26) “He gave them up to vile passion…” (1:28) “He gave them over to a debased mind…” People get stuck in the vices of sin because its an external demonstration of how the heart has rejected God, and God lets them go their way – “Judicial Abandonment.” Charles Swindoll said this: “Rather than enabling the drug addict, by providing a hot shower & soft bed, the Lord leaves [this person] in the gutter to lie in a pool of his own filth, until he decides he wants better.” Biblically, think about the prodigal son, it’s the same concept! (Nothing changed until he chose differently). This is the real struggle in America (our culture) the younger the generations systematically reject God, because they’ve being taught the Bible is a myth. Which has left them with no universal morality (No bearing of right & wrong).

Shattered

September 18, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 2:17–29

The Apostle Paul dispels the myth about religion in the book of Romans by defining WHAT a genuine follower of Jesus is & is NOT! As it's been said, religion is all pain and no gain. That’s NOT biblical Christianity! Now the big picture in Romans 1- 3 is the doctrine of judgment against sinful man. Paul placed all humanity as guilty before a Holy God! However, his aim was to get people to accept Christ by recognizing their need for God! Roman’s points people to God’s Grace by starting with a right understanding!

Ducking And Dodging

October 16, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 3:1–20

Paul's letter to the Romans started with the bad news first the corruption of human nature and how man tries to “Duck & Dodge.” The doctrine of man’s total depravity underscores a universal need for the Gospel of Christ! Paul spent 1½ chapters illustrating how people fall into one of three different camps: The secular person who suppresses truth and intentionally fabricates a false narrative; This person lives as if there is NO God! The moral person who clings to moralism: “I do more good than bad.” They self-medicate with an attitude of superiority rendering God grace useless in their lives; & lives as if THEY are God! The religious person, living by rules & regulations tries to please God! Paul's point is that all people are guilty before God. Not one single person is righteous!

How Does This Affect Me?

November 4, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 3:21–31

AT (v.21) Paul said… “But now” here’s the gift! He pulls no punches saying, The righteousness of God = IS a righteousness of God’s providing! Apart from the law = It’s without merit of human effort to a code! How do I get this? I accept the gift of Christ’s grace. Therefore, I receive what I don’t deserve! By faith (I believe I need it & I believe I have it). The blood makes you safe & the word makes you sure! Unto a holy life (the evidence of reception… I’m changed!). "Justified" technically it describes a legal standing before a judge. It means: “Just as if I’d never did it” Basically, I’m being declared innocent in the sight of God! Check this out: Justification is an ACT, not a process! There’s no degrees of justification! God doesn’t make us righteous, He declares us righteous!

Practical Effects Of Justification

November 11, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 4:1–8

Today we learn about Justification from history. Through Abraham – the father of faith, and David – a man after God’s own heart! Two well know and respected men in Jewish history! Abraham comes out of the Pentateuch (first 5-books of the Bible) which relate to the books of Law. Where as David is pulled from the Psalms which are linked with the prophets. Point being, Paul said the law & the prophets were witnesses (Rom 3:21) post verse. So today he uses them to illustrate the harmony of God from the O.T. into the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the N.T.

The Promise

December 2, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 4:9–25

Justification by faith is what separates Biblical Christianity from all other belief systems of the world. God reaching down in His love, as opposed to man working to get to God! So, theologically speaking, justification is an ACT of God – not a process of man! There’s no degrees of justification! (it’s NOT like toast that can be burnt) God doesn’t make us righteous, He declares us righteous in Christ! If we can grasp this in our daily lives, it destroys ALL religious striving. I don’t have to be constantly stress about being rejected by God because I didn’t do something right. So the Bible teaches we’re justified in Christ alone!

See The Difference Today

December 9, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 5:1–11

As we continue studying Romans please remember this is a message for broken people! This is a call to both sinner & saint, because God desires to pour out His mercy & grace upon people! And we've seen real life results behind the scholarly language of the Doctrine of Justification: I’m justified by faith NOT by something I earn (vv.1-8). I’m justified by grace NOT by religious codes (vv.9-17). I’m justified by God NOT by human efforts (vv.18-25). All good stuff! But, too many people stop there. Thinking Salvation is ONLY a way to escape hell & get into heaven and totally miss the immediate! It's like the lottery winner that never claims the million dollar prize money and remains in bankruptcy.

Understanding My Choice

December 30, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 5:12–21

Today we close chapter 5 by gaining an “Understand of Our Choice” Here's the topic: “Federal Headship.” In theology this theory (Federal Headship) explains how Adam’s sin spread to ALL people. We can understand it. We send people to Washington D.C. on our behalf, and regardless of our agreement OR disagreement elected Officials make decisions and the consequences (right or wrong) filtered down to the country. So too, Adam was the first representative of the human race and his decision to sin against God separated all mankind from God!

Learning My Position

December 30, 2018 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 6

I can remember in 1994, I was 23-yrs old & working for California Dept. of Corrections In a maximum security prison. I had to learn my position involved handling emergencies rapidly (riots / fights / deaths / etc.) Here's the point, I had to learn my position, so I could do the right thing when pressure hit. When I was scared & unsure. When there was pressure to compromise. Today, Paul teaches us the first steps of Sanctification which means: Being set apart for a particular use. When it’s attached to a person it means to make holy (1 Thess. 4:1-8). God has saved us from sin and gifted us to be used for His purpose, but learning what that looks like takes a little time.

Unchain Me

January 27, 2019 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 7

Last time in our Romans study we looked at (Chp. #6) and started to explore sanctification by learning that we’re NOT under law we’re under grace (Rom. 6:14b). First, our union w/ Christ identifies us with His: death (v.2) AND resurrection (v.5) which results in freedom from sin (v.7). Second, we’ve been liberated from sin (Rom. 6:18) and things that are repressive to life in Christ! I wish I had known these things much sooner! The group I hung out with worshipped & served Jesus but they lacked in the area of knowing His word. As we move forward today Paul’s writing to new Christian’s in Rome with a Jewish background. And what he gives them is a lesson in the doctrines of Christianity and a fuller understanding about NOT being under the law!

Learning To Walk

February 3, 2019 • Jeff Cramer • Romans 8:1–13

Many of you know that Jodi & I have 4-grandchildren, the youngest being Baby-Ryder at almost 5-months old. One of the cool things about babies is that they’re fascinating to watch as they learn how to use their hands, as they learn their name, and as they experience food for the first-time. In the Christian faith there are those seasons where we Learn to Walk with God. It’s so cool when someone gets turned onto Jesus and you see them growing for the first time. But may we remember that we never arrive! God continues His work in us all the days of our lives.