From the Life Study of Romans - Why is God Triune?

     Most people acknowledge that God is the Creator, but that leaves Him in a remote spot and us down here.  It helped me when I heard that God never intended it to stay that way.  He wants to have a relationship with us, and how God accomplished this is the story of the gospels. 

Winter day on the boardwalk on the bay

 In order to get into man, God the Creator had to become a man, live a human life, die on the cross for man's sins, and then resurrect. I memorized this in catechism. 

     But I never knew that in His resurrection an amazing thing happened--the Lord became the life-giving Spirit.  You can look this up 1 Corinthians 15:45b.   At first this verse may puzzle you.  In fact I never understood it until I heard Witness Lee share on it.

    This is it in a nutshell: The Lord became the Spirit just so He could  become a form that could enter into man's human spirit. Here you can see the Triune God--the Father, Son, and Spirit are all working with the goal to enter into man and regenerate him!  

  I finished reading the Life-Studies of Romans this past week, and in message 60 of the Life Study of Romans  on pages 625-626 Witness Lee shares that God is triune so that He can dispense His divine life into us:  

In order for God to dispense Himself into us, He must be triune...The word dispense means to distribute. Suppose we have a large container of juice. In order for people to drink the juice, we must find a way to dispense the juice from the container into them.  The best way is to pour the juice into cups and then distribute it among the people present.  The juice used to be in the container, but now it is in the people in whom it has been dispensed.  When we speak of the dispensation of the Triune God, we mean that God distributes Himself to us and then dispenses Himself into our being just as the juice is dispensed from the container into those who drink it.  In His dispensation, God actually enters into our being, fills our vessel, and becomes one with us.  This is the dispensation of the Triune God for the fulfillment of His purpose (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Romans. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry,  1975 Print) .  

This is one of Witness Lee's classic illustrations that has helped me understand what he means when  he talks about  God's dispensing.  It helps to see that the Lord's life is like juice so easy for us to enjoy and take in.

You can listen to live portions of Witness Lee's sharing on the Life Study of Romans with helpful commentary on the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. 

Other Blogs on the Life Studies of Romans:

 Why is Romans Called the Gospel of God?
What's the Connection Between Romans 4 and God's Calling of Abraham?
What is Sanctification in the Book of Romans?
Have You seen the Gospel in Romans 8:3?
Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28
What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?
What is the Focus of Romans 12?
What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Believers & Why Does It Matter?
Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?
What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?
What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?
How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?
Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?
From the Life Study of Roman - Why is God Triune?

Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes,...for the righteousness of God is revealed in it....  Romans 1:16-17

This is a picture of my son at a local park.

  "Romans is unique in that it shows that our salvation is not based on love or grace but God's righteousness."  This sentence comes from the Life Study of Romans chapter 57  which is one of my favorite messages.  

Whenever I feel like I can't come to God, I'll think about this message. I never understood how powerful God's righteousness was until I read this message. Every believer knows that they are saved by the mercy and grace of God, but did you know that the strongest base for your salvation is actually God's righteousness?  I really like this excerpt on page 599:

Now that Christ has died and has been raised from the dead, it is impossible for God to change His mind about forgiving us.  Rather, we have the ground to say to Him, "O God, whether You love me or not, You must forgive me.  Before Christ died on the cross, You could have changed Your mind.  But because He has died and because You have raised Him from among the dead [Romans 4:25], You have no legal standing to refuse to forgive me.  O God, You must forgive me now, for You have no right to change in this matter.  You are bound by Your righteousness.  In this way, righteousness is the power of the gospel (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Romans.  Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1969, Print). 

In this chapter Witness Lee also points out that according to Romans 4:25 God's resurrection of Christ proved that Christ's death paid the penalty for all our sins.   And then he connects this to Psalm 89:14 which is an amazing verse:  Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne.  This shows us that if God doesn't act righteously and forgive us when we confess our sins, (1 John 1:9) it would shake His throne!  And we know that can't happen. So many times I've come back to this point of truth and stood on it by saying, God, You have to be righteous and forgive me or Your throne will be shaken!  

You can listen to live portions of Witness Lee's sharing on the Life Study of Romans with helpful commentary on the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. 

Other Blogs on the Life Studies of Romans:

 Why is Romans Called the Gospel of God?
What's the Connection Between Romans 4 and God's Calling of Abraham?
What is Sanctification in the Book of Romans?
Have You seen the Gospel in Romans 8:3?
Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28
What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?
What is the Focus of Romans 12?
What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Believers & Why Does It Matter?
Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?
What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?
What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?
How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?
Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?
From the Life Study of Roman - Why is God Triune?

How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?

 Have you ever thought that a carnation could illustrate your journey with the Lord?  The seed of a carnation is very small, and like all seeds you can't tell what they will become until you plant them and they bloom. 


 In several of the Life-Studies of Romans Witness Lee uses this illustration to describe the process of glorification we all  are undergoing.  This one comes from page 571 in chapter 54:

  I would like to continue with the illustration of a carnation seed.  A carnation seed is designated, not by being labeled, but by being sown into the earth and by growing into a mature, blossoming plant.  The seed is designated as it grows. The more it grows, the more it is designated.  When it reaches full bloom, it will be designated in a complete way.... Like the carnation seed, we are all in the process of designation. The more we grow and are transformed, the more we are designated the sons of God (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Romans, Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1975, Print).   

      Everything about a carnation plant is encoded in the seed's DNA--its size, its shape, its color, etc. And like Romans 8:29 makes clear in the same way the Lord's life within us is encoded to sanctify, transform, and conform us until we are fully conformed to the Lord's image. 

After a lifetime of all things working together for good (Romans 8:28), we also shall eventually blossom.  Paul tells us in Romans 8:19 that eventually we will be manifested as the sons of God. And this will be our glorification--when we bloom


      I don't know about you but sometimes I don't feel anything is happening. I need to be encouraged to see that God's life is still growing in me.  In order to accomplish this, God constantly arranges all the people and things that happen to us so that we actually get conformed. Just like a carnation.  It will happen.  Just believe it.

You can listen to live portions of Witness Lee's sharing on the Life Study of Romans with helpful commentary on the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. 

Other Blogs on the Life Studies of Romans:

 Why is Romans Called the Gospel of God?
What's the Connection Between Romans 4 and God's Calling of Abraham?
What is Sanctification in the Book of Romans?
Have You seen the Gospel in Romans 8:3?
Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28
What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?
What is the Focus of Romans 12?
What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Believers & Why Does It Matter?
Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?
What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?
What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?
How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?
Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?
From the Life Study of Roman - Why is God Triune?

What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?

   Sometimes when you're reading, a line just grabs your attention.  All week long I've been thinking about this line in chapter 41 of the Life-Study of Romans--"The unique way God uses to fulfill His purpose is life."  It's clear from the word that when we were regenerated,  the divine life of Christ came into our human spirit. 

But what I've seen from reading through the Life-Studies is that this is not the end. The Lord wants to build up His Body on the earth.  But how does the Lord do this? I like the way Witness Lee connected this to Romans 5:10:   But if we being enemies, were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more we will be saved in His life, having been reconciled,

Here's an excerpt on page 467-468 that helped me get a little bit more what this verse means:

"Although we have been saved already, we still need to be saved.  On the one hand, we have been saved from hell and from the judgment of God.  This was accomplished once for all through the death of Christ on the cross. But, on the other hand, we still need to be saved from so many present problems...I am glad that I am still in the process of Christ's ongoing salvation" (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Romans. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1975, Print). 

So it's clear here that being saved is not just initial salvation but something that's ongoing. It's really a start of a life-long process of being daily transformed.  And according to Romans 10:13, one of the best ways to experience this salvation is to call on the name of the Lord!

You can listen to live portions of Witness Lee's sharing on the Life Study of Romans with helpful commentary on the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. 

Other Blogs on the Life Studies of Romans:

 Why is Romans Called the Gospel of God?
What's the Connection Between Romans 4 and God's Calling of Abraham?
What is Sanctification in the Book of Romans?
Have You seen the Gospel in Romans 8:3?
Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28
What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?
What is the Focus of Romans 12?
What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Believers & Why Does It Matter?
Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?
What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?
What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?
How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?
Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?
From the Life Study of Roman - Why is God Triune?

What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?

   Understanding Romans 7 and 8 helped me get what was going on inside of me.  When I was a young mother, I met with a believer who tried to persuade me and some others that believers didn't have a sinful nature anymore.  

 Winter frost on my rose bushes

That conversation really became a turning point for me.  I realized that I didn't really know the truth on this subject, and it forced me to talk to others and get into a concordance.  

     I wish I would have known about chapter 37 of the Life Study of Romans back then.  Witness Lee uses the trees in the garden of Eden in Genesis  to illustrate on page 430 the three laws that are inside every believer. 

In the garden of Eden there were two trees--the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life.  In these two trees we see good, evil, and life.  With each of these there is a law: the law of good, the law of evil,  and the law of life.  We are a miniature garden of Eden because the triangular situation involving God, man, and Satan is  now within us.  Furthermore, the law of good,  the law of evil, and the law of life are all in us (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Romans. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1975, Print).  

    Growing up as a Catholic I knew there was a devil, but no  one ever told me that Satan was in the flesh of every fallen man, and that's why there was so much evil in the world.  I liked the clear explanation he gave on this:   The first person is in our soul, which is represented  by our mind...The second person, the satanic person, is in our body, that is, in our flesh.  But praise the Lord that the third person, the divine person, is in our spirit!  As we all know, man is three parts: a spirit, a soul, and a body ((Page 431-432) !  

Because Satan's life is stronger than our soul life, this forces us every day to need to turn to our spirit and touch the Lord's life which is strongest of all these three lives.  We see this in the declaration in Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death (Recovery Version of the New Testament).  

You can listen to live portions of Witness Lee's sharing on the Life Study of Romans with helpful commentary on the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. 

Other Blogs on the Life Studies of Romans:

 Why is Romans Called the Gospel of God?
What's the Connection Between Romans 4 and God's Calling of Abraham?
What is Sanctification in the Book of Romans?
Have You seen the Gospel in Romans 8:3?
Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28
What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?
What is the Focus of Romans 12?
What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Believers & Why Does It Matter?
Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?
What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?
What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?
How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?
Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?
From the Life Study of Roman - Why is God Triune?

Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?

    I didn't fully understand the ending of the book of Romans until I read chapter 30 of the Life-Study of Romans. This paragraph in the beginning of the chapter on page 355 helped me understand where Paul was coming from:

None of Paul's other epistles has such a long conclusion as does the Letter to the Romans. Why is the conclusion so long? ... However, Paul was wise and deep, knowing that after the section on transformation he still needed to present the ultimate conclusion of God's gospel--the practical church life. Furthermore, he did not write about the church life in a doctrinal way, but in an exceedingly practical way...In Romans 16 the words "church" and "churches" are used five times (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Romans. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1975, Print).  

      All the people listed in chapter 16 were obviously members of the church in Rome. In Acts it is clear that the New Testament believers all simply met as the church in their city. They were simply the called out ones (Greek meaning of the word church) that were meeting in a particular city. This is the way God led these early believers to meet.  From evil, vile sinners in chapter 1, Paul leads us through all the stages of sanctification until we become the church (Page 363-364). 

I have to be honest, without these messages I know I wouldn't have seen the progression in this book nor that its goal is for sinners to become sons for the Body of Christ (Chapter 12) and for the church life (Chapter 16).

You can listen to live portions of Witness Lee's sharing on the Life Study of Romans with helpful commentary on the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. 

Other Blogs on the Life Studies of Romans:

 Why is Romans Called the Gospel of God?
What's the Connection Between Romans 4 and God's Calling of Abraham?
What is Sanctification in the Book of Romans?
Have You seen the Gospel in Romans 8:3?
Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28
What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?
What is the Focus of Romans 12?
What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Believers & Why Does It Matter?
Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?
What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?
What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?
How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?
Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?
From the Life Study of Roman - Why is God Triune?

What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Other Believers & Why Does It Matter?

Nearby trail 

     The Lord wants a Body, but it's not so easy to get because we all have a fallen nature that's divisive. In Romans 12 Paul shares about the Body, and in Romans 14  we see how it's worked out.  In chapter 38 of the Life- Study of Romans Witness Lee covers a very critical matter in relation to this Body and that's about how we receive our fellow believers in Christ:

All genuine believers are the Lord's.  All have been born of the same Lord regardless of the way in which they have been baptized, of the food they eat, or the days they observe. Verses 6 through 9 show us what is important and what is not important.  As long as a person belongs to the Lord and lives to Him, he is all right...If on the other hand, we argue about the doctrine, we shall soon be divided according to our various concepts. We must care for the important things as God the Father has received us all, and as long as we believe in the Lord and live to Him, we should receive one another(Lee, Witness. Life Study of Romans. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1975, Print).

He mentions that it's clear in the New Testament that things that aren't items of the faith (Ephesians 4:4-6) God leaves up to us.  

You can listen to live portions of Witness Lee's sharing on the Life Study of Romans with helpful commentary on the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. 

Other Blogs on the Life Studies of Romans:

 Why is Romans Called the Gospel of God?
What's the Connection Between Romans 4 and God's Calling of Abraham?
What is Sanctification in the Book of Romans?
Have You seen the Gospel in Romans 8:3?
Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28
What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?
What is the Focus of Romans 12?
What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Believers & Why Does It Matter?
Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?
What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?
What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?
How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?
Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?
From the Life Study of Roman - Why is God Triune?

What is the Focus of Romans 12?



     Have you ever thought much about with the way Romans 12 opens up?  He says,  I beg you therefore, brothers, through the compassions of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, which is your most reasonable service. What is Paul talking about here? 

Capturing a foggy morning in Puget Sound.

As the chapter progresses, it becomes clear that God wants us to present our physical bodies for His spiritual Body, which is the church (see Ephesians 1:22-23).  It’s been a help to me to know that the Greek word for church is ekklesia which refers not to a physical building but to a group of called out ones.  In chapter 25 of the Life-Study of Romans Witness Lee shares on page 296 why this chapter is important for Christians to understand:

In Romans 12:1 Paul speaks in a begging way, revealing the importance of the matter concerning which He is about to charge us. It reveals God's desire and purpose.  For centuries and ages God has had a particular desire--to have a body for Christ (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Romans. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1974, Print). 

He also shares in this message that the experiences in Romans build on each other, he says the experiences of sanctification and conformation lead us to the experience in Romans 12 where we come to know that we are all members of the Lord's Body, and that He has given to each one of us a gift for the building up of His Body.  

You can listen to live portions of Witness Lee's sharing on the Life Study of Romans with helpful commentary on the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. 

Other Blogs on the Life Studies of Romans:

 Why is Romans Called the Gospel of God?
What's the Connection Between Romans 4 and God's Calling of Abraham?
What is Sanctification in the Book of Romans?
Have You seen the Gospel in Romans 8:3?
Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28
What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?
What is the Focus of Romans 12?
What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Believers & Why Does It Matter?
Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?
What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?
What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?
How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?
Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?
From the Life Study of Roman - Why is God Triune?

What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?

    Man is a lot like a pop bottle or a vase.  When you look at a pop bottle or vase, their very shape tells you that they were made to contain something. So why wouldn't it be any different with us?   In chapter 22 of the Life-Study of Romans Witness Lee talks about the purpose for man's creation. God isn't mindless--He has a reason for making man in His image (Genesis 1:26).  

There’s actually a verse in Romans that reveals man's a vessel … or has not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor? Romans 9:21.  But what is man supposed to contain?  This quest for the purpose of man’s existence has captivated the hearts and minds of millions throughout the centuries. 

 When I read this simple explanation on page 265, I was like wow that’s so clear:  

Romans 9:21 discloses God’s purpose in creating  man.  This verse is unique in its revelation of God’s purpose in the creation of man.  Without this verse it would be difficult for us to realize that God’s purpose in creating man was to make him His vessel to contain Him.  We all must thoroughly understand that we are God’s containers and that God is our content (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Romans. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1974, Print). 

      Then in chapter 23 Witness Lee shares that Romans 10:12 shows us the way our vessel fulfills its purpose.  Our mouths are a lot like the opening of a bottle or vase, and when we call on the Lord with our mouth, Christ comes into our spirit and fills us.  It only then that we fulfill the purpose of our existence!!    

You can listen to live portions of Witness Lee's sharing on the Life Study of Romans with helpful commentary on the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. 

Other Blogs on the Life Studies of Romans:

 Why is Romans Called the Gospel of God?
What's the Connection Between Romans 4 and God's Calling of Abraham?
What is Sanctification in the Book of Romans?
Have You seen the Gospel in Romans 8:3?
Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28
What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?
What is the Focus of Romans 12?
What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Believers & Why Does It Matter?
Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?
What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?
What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?
How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?
Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?

From the Life Study of Roman - Why is God Triune?

Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28

Deception Pass at Sunset

I believe in God's sovereignty.  When I'm baffled by circumstances or even bewildered by some events in my life, God's sovereignty has held onto me.  That's probably why Romans 8:28 has over the years become one of my favorite verses.  Last week I read chapter 21 of the Life-Study of Romans that covered this verse.  I have read this portion on page 250 many times, and it always strengthens my heart: 

The intercession in Romans 8:26-27 causes all things to work together  (v. 28).  The Greek word translated "all things" means all matters, all persons, all things, all in all.  God the Father is sovereign and He arranges everything... He causes all things, all matters and all persons to work together for our good...God has determined our destiny beforehand, and this destiny can never be fulfilled without the divine arrangement which causes all things to work together for us.  Our destiny is to be conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God [Romans 8:29]. We are not yet fully in the image of the firstborn Son of God, but God the Father is planning, molding, and performing by causing all things to work together for good (Lee, Witness. Life Study of Romans. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1974, Print). 

     I've also heard it said that the good in this verse is not according to our definition of good, but God's. Earlier in this message he talked about how God has sovereignly arranged where we were born, who would be in our family, and so many details of our life so that we can grow up into full sonship.  No matter what happens or how we feel about what happens, we need keep believing and trusting in God's sovereignty.

Blog Update 5/5/14:  Here's a link to a beautiful song called All Things Work Together from the CD The Comfort Abounds put out by www.nycypcd.org

You can listen to live portions of Witness Lee's sharing on the Life Study of Romans with helpful commentary on the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. 

Other Blogs on the Life Studies of Romans:

 Why is Romans Called the Gospel of God?
What's the Connection Between Romans 4 and God's Calling of Abraham?
What is Sanctification in the Book of Romans?
Have You seen the Gospel in Romans 8:3?
Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28
What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?
What is the Focus of Romans 12?
What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Believers & Why Does It Matter?
Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?
What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?
What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?
How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?
Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?
From the Life Study of Roman - Why is God Triune?