How Does the Word of God Set a Heart on Fire? ⋆ Effie Darlene Barba %

In the previous two chapters, Paul made his case for there being no advantage to circumcision. No excuse for any male nor female not knowing, worshipping God. After all He reveals Himself throughout His creation. Yet, Paul is very aware his audience will object. Did not God call Abraham to be the father of a great nation, chosen by God Himself? Despite all they went through, God preserved them as a nation. Israel was re-established after all the years of exile (for their own rebellious hearts). But God was faithful. Watch carefully as Paul proceeds forward with his apologetic arguments to dispel their questions. And to demonstrate they had been given the greatest gift of all. The very Word of God. That alone can set a heart on Fire. But alas many did not believe. Instead, they looked to heritage, traditions and self-righteousness to be their security.

Squandering the very thing that would have, could have saved them. Their most precious possession, the oracles of God which proclaimed the gospel message of Christ from the beginning. Yet, they were blinded to the truth of the Word of God. Hence stiffening and making their heart cold rather than being flamed into a heart on fire for God and His gospel message. So, as we read these scriptures, keep in mind even Peter thought Paul was at times hard to understand. But that we must be on guard to not be carried away with error.

STEP by STEP Through the Word

Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You, therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unscrupulous people and lose your own firm commitment, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:14-18 NASB

Paul Presents a series of questions and answers to address the objections raised.

Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Romans 3:1

So, Paul did you not just finish arguing that there was no advantage in circumcision? Which is it? Are you now going to say there is? Well, yes and no. Read on.

Great in every respect. First, that they were entrusted with the actual words of God. Romans 3:2 NASB

They were given the very words of God—that was a tremendous advantage. Called out to be God’s people, but even with His words, they remained a stiff-necked, cold-hearted people. Why? Like Adam and Eve, they failed to believe the Word of God as fully true. They doubted and wanted to believe themselves to be their own Creator, not the created. Pride with all its ugly tentacles held fast. With all the scripture and prophets pointing to Christ, they hung Him on the cross. Why? Because He did not come the way they wanted Him to. But does that change who God is in any way? Not one iota!

What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? Far from it! Rather, God must prove to be true, though every person be found a liar, as it is written:

“So that You are justified in Your words,

And prevail when You are judged.” Romans 3: 3-4 NASB

The Apologetic Arguments continue as the Word of God flames a Heart on Fire

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking from a human viewpoint.) Romans 3:5 NASB

Ok, Paul, so you are saying we can only see God’s righteousness because of our own unrighteousness? Then is it fair that God would show wrath toward us for our unrighteousness? He needs us to demonstrate His righteousness. This question will continue to build until we reach chapter 9. So don’t think we will fully answer here. but we will step by step as we proceed. For now, we see Paul’s first answer.

Far from it! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? Romans 3:6 NASB

He can judge the world because He is perfect righteousness. We are but broken clay pots. Yet we think of ourselves as fine Porcelain China. As though deserving all His Goodness for our own attempts to prove our goodness.

But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? And why not say (just as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let’s do evil that good may come of it”? Their condemnation is deserved. Romans 3:7-8 (NASB)

How often do I or we look at someone else and cry out, “Condemned!”?

So, does just reading the Word of God put a heart on fire?

What then? Are we better than they? Romans 3:9a NASB

So, by being given the Word of God, are we better than anyone else? Growing up in a Christian nation or in a church saves us? Or are we the same? Are we better because God called us to be His child?

Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written: Romans 3:9b-10 NASB

Then Paul quotes Old Testament scripture to include Psalms 14, Psalm 5:9, Psalm 10, Isaiah 59, Jeremiah 6:14, and Psalm 36:1,

“There is no righteous person, not even one;

There is no one who understands,

There is no one who seeks out God;

They have all turned aside, together they have become [i]corrupt;

There is no one who does good,

There is not even one.”

“Their throat is an open grave,

With their tongues they keep deceiving,”

“The venom of asps is under their lips”;

“Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;

“Their feet are swift to shed blood,

Destruction and misery are in their paths,

And they have not known the way of peace.”

“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3: 11-18 NASB

That pretty much sums up the argument. We are all lost and unable to fulfill any part of the law because we have wicked hearts.

Why Do We who know the Word of God, struggle the most?

Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes knowledge of sin. Romans 3:19-20 NASB

To Bring this all home:

The longer I walk with God, the more I realize the depth of my own inadequacies and my own sins. The more wondrous the Word of God becomes to me. Its preciousness in revealing Him, the more I see of my own sin. The thoughts that wander into my brain. Thoughts condemning another for the very things I too do. Or the moment of happiness (however brief) I feel when someone faces the same trials they had perpetrated toward me.

Those thoughts came full circle for me on Thursday. That morning, my reading took me to Psalm 94 and I wept under the weight of it. Yet, with an underlying peace because I knew it was God who held me up even then. That is when I wrote this poem. Writing poetry transports my mind back to the reality of the wondrous Word of God. Then I am reminded how only He can set my heart on fire for Him.

Desire a Love on Fire

Broken vessels are we all

Cling tight, O Lord lest I should fall

Whatever part of darkness lies

Within this heart so well disguised

Oh God remove the pride, the stain

That only You within remain

Oh Lord I plead my one desire

A Passion for Your love on fire

For only if You hear my plea

Cut out the darkness that is me

And let Your Spirit shine forth free

Remove the dross that I now see

Of all the pride hid deep within

That binds this heart with its own sin

My Gracious Lord I know Your love for me

Has heard my cry my earnest plea

For by Your Grace, Your love divine

That saved this wretched heart of mine

And day by day your work within

Transforming me, I might not sin

Oh, hold me tight within your arms

For there I’m safe from any harms

Your faithful promises I see

For You, dear Lord have chosen me

And on this hope my soul shall rest

You only bring to me Your best

And if the shadows do surround

In You my hope and joy are found

Let all the mountains rise in song

And to Your throne my anthems throng

My hope, my love, my one desire

Come set this heart of mine on fire

That all of whom I meet today

Will see Your Grace on full display

So, Why Is It at Times Harder for Us Who Know Him?

In a sense, like my son told me today, “we feel the weight of our sin. Knowing our only hope is Him. The more I know of the Word of God, the less I admire me. When anyone sees the overly tired, bald, fat grouchy guy–well that is when they see the real me. But when I seem to rise above that, showing mercy, forgiveness, and grace. Well that is when you are seeing God in me. He is my hope of Glory and only He is.”

I agree wholeheartedly with that. When this tired old woman becomes too quickly frustrated and irritated by the actions of others, well that is me. After 65 years of knowing Him as Lord and Savior. I would have hoped she was fully buried so only His Spirit shines through. Yet, that is not the case. She very much is alive in me. I see her all too often suddenly become irritated by unimportant things. Or snap over foolish things. Letting my feelings hide the wondrous truth of who He is. Every detail of my life is in His hands. Therefore, knowing this, I should never be frustrated. True faith never allows such moments.

My prayer is God shoves me aside whenever He needs to so He can shine through. I do not want to dishonor His name and His Glory. So please Lord, keep shoving me aside whenever I get in the way of Your Glory. One glorious day, standing before Him, I will truly have His heart on fire. Until that moment Lord, do whatever it takes to transform this heart to one that can love as You do. Break me, mold me, change me to thy will.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Click here to go to my page titled How to Be Saved. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

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Empower Your Heart to Dispel Darkness by Light How?

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Please note: This Post only has quotes from the NKJV Bible except where otherwise indicated

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