David CM Bell Leadership Blog

  Romans 6 - A Fitting Reply Well then, this is where the rubber hits the road. This is where you see who’s a woman and who’s just playing with dolls. This is the crux of the Christian life, where many fail. We stubbornly refuse to grow up and accept the responsibility of being governed, wholly controlled, and dedicated to doing things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life (6:22). Rather, we let our sinful desires govern. I submit this is the elephant in the room for the modern church. We want Romans 5 but ignore 6, 8, 1 Corinthians 6, and many other admonitions about living as children of God. God always has the last laugh, the fitting reply (Proverbs 15:23). I enjoyed listening to “Let My People Think,” the Ravi Zacharias International Ministries podcast. Ravi was a great storyteller. His audience had no doubt he knew more about religion and philosophy than most academics. He was a self-proclaimed Christian guru with a warming testimony and a rapid-fire, ...

  Romans 5 - First Things First In this passage, God explains sin, condemnation, and right standing with God.  God defines what’s essential, the most critical thing - eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. God explains that everyone is condemned to die because of sin.  It is a condition of being human.  It is, in my estimation, essential not to gloss over this point.  It does not matter who you are: Jew, Muslim, rich, poor, intelligent, dumb as a bag of hammers, generous, old, young, woman, or man, each person is utterly, helplessly destined to die - and to eternal life separated from God.  And yet, each is equally loved by God. He made us all. He loves us all. His offer of salvation is for every person. Mark God’s word: “God does not show favoritism” (2:11).  We must put things first and get right with God. God shows us and tells us how to do this.  We have to put our faith in his Son, who shed his blood for our sins; we are saved...

  Romans 5 - Friendship Every leader needs a friend, nay, friends! We can’t lead, serve, and grow well in Christ without good friends. Jesus always leads by example. While on earth, He showed us the importance of building friendships.           I’m thankful for my friends. Each friend is unique. Some are friends for life. Others for a season. What a blessing to have a genuine friend.           My friendship with my dad is different from my friendship with my sons. Like family and marriage, God designed friendship to be sacred - fellowship blessed by God’s presence. It’s how God develops our character, as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17) .           I’m particularly thankful for my friendship with my wife; our marriage and friendship have grown stronger over the years. I’ve been amazed over the years at how easily my wife makes friends. She is a great friend because she is sinc...

  Romans 4 - Your Sins Are Forgiven Archer (my two-year-old grandson) “Your sins are forgiven - go and sin no more.”  I need to hear that this morning. I trust God. And I want to be in right relationship with him. I trust you do as well. We see in Romans 4 God promised to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants (4:13). That promise is based on faith - not earned by deeds. Righteousness, Self-Control, and Judgement - are themes of God’s love letter to us. This section of the letter touches on all three themes, focusing on the first: God’s promise of being declared by God to be right in His sight. This is of eternal benefit to Abraham: his disobedience is forgiven, his sins are put out of sight, and his record is cleared of sin. Thank God! You and I have the same offer of forgiveness for our eternal benefit. Abraham is the example, the founder and spiritual father of the Jewish nation and all who have the same faith in God that Abraham had before he w...

  Romans 3 - Sinners Saved by God’s Grace This is a Good News message from God for every man and woman - for all time. It explains righteousness. It describes how terrible sinners, people like me who are unfaithful to God - all people - can be made right with God. No matter who you are, you are made right with God by placing your faith in Jesus Christ. All of the law is fulfilled in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. We must believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. If we believe that and place our faith in Jesus Christ, God declares that we are righteous; he frees us from the penalty of our sin. God is fair and just. It is His sacrifice alone that provides salvation. God shows his righteousness, goodness, fairness, and kindness in this. Our acquittal is based on faith in what Jesus Christ did for each of us on the cross; it is based on what God has done, not based on us fulfilling the law. Only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law. The law sho...

  Romans 3:1 - Aim to Please - God Do you have a heart changed by God’s Spirit? A person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. It’s incredible how often men say, “I am a man under authority.” And yet, who do most Christian men aim to please first and foremost? Someone that has power? Someone that can help their careers or that buys influence. Do not confuse God’s authority and commands on your life with pleasing men and selling your soul. The world demands that we please people. In personal relationships, marriage, friendship, family relations, employment, business, and community relations, it is essential for unity and harmony that we do everything within our means to live in peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). This includes listening well, caring for the young, helping the old, and being a good neighbor. God’s word is filled with commands to help the poor (Proverbs 14:31). But listen. It’s one thing to please and work for peace with everyone ...

  Romans 2:1 - Increased Faith In Jesus Paul is teaching us - directed by the Holy Spirit - that God’s justice requires righteousness.  No person on earth has an excuse.  We all have God’s law.  We are all guilty before God.  The law shows us how sinful we are.  And this passage shows us that we are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ - and that faith enables us to fulfill the law.  True children of God have new thinking and behavior because of a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit.  The thought of our judgment day before God is sobering.  We love Jesus because He loves us. He loves us so much that He died for us.  He forgives us and goes to great lengths to provide for and protect us. He has no favorites, but as God's children, we have his Spirit and His blessing. But we also fear Him because of who He is - who are we to even stand before Him for judgment? It is incredible how puffed up and prideful w...

  Romans 2:1 - God’s Kindness God wants every person to be right with Him.  That means we have a changed heart, changed by God’s Spirit.  We seek to please God, not people (2:29). When Paul was in prison in Caesarea, he defended himself before Governor Felix and taught Felix and his wife, Drusilla, about faith in Christ.  Paul reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment.  Paul could do this because of his changed heart and desire to please God and speak the truth. It is a treasure that we have Romans as it gives us the teaching Paul gave Felix and Drusilla in expanded detail.  Thank God for Scripture. Paul asserts that God is just: He will punish anyone who does wicked things (2:6-7).  It is a sin to stubbornly refuse to understand the point of God’s kindness.  God intends to turn us from sin to His Way (1:31 and 2:4).  Paul declares God is wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient.  God ...

  Romans 1:24-32 - Make Good Trades O ur Daughter, Meghan Grace Politicians and others often wax on about the “right side of history.”  Well, that’s true that there is a right side.  We see that throughout Scripture.  Proverbs 3:35 says, “The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame.”  Psalm 33:22 says, “Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone.”  And Proverbs 3:7 says, “Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.  Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”  There is wisdom and folly, heaven and hell.  Men are doing God’s bidding.  And Satan sadly has many evangelists.  There is an eternal judgment day.  And there is a Judge who determines what is right.  His name is Jesus Christ. “Oh, foolishness,” says those that have traded the truth about God for a lie.  They claim evolution will be the judge; science will govern, horoscopes know all, Hollywood sets moral standards, a...