What Type of Christian Are You

By Thomas Ernst

Did you ever ask God, "What do you want me to do?" Maybe you made some bad decisions in life, and you know God has a purpose for you. Or maybe you have been very successful with everything you've done, but you feel something is missing, and you know God wants you to do something special. So you are alone with God and you cry out to God to tell you what he wants you to do. "Please, please tell me what you want me to do. God, please tell me my purpose." No answer. So you talk to your clergy and ask why God does not answer you. They tell you, "Sometimes God says yes or no, or maybe, the answer is wait." What if the wait is that God answered you, but you did not hear him? Yes, I will say it again, maybe, what if the wait is that God answered you but you did not hear him? Maybe it is your relationship with God? What type of Christian are you? Are you a good sheep who has a strong relationship with God where you attended church and do your daily devotions? Are you a baad sheep (say it like a sheep would baa with a d) who only visits his house on Sunday and don't talk with him during the week? Just think, your strongest relationships in life are not where you spend an hour hearing about someone and you just listening.

Also, what is going on with America today? Why is God being pushed out of his country. Yes, God's country. Israel is God's people, but America is God's country. God is on all the documents that make this great nation and on its currency. It is God's country. There is no way we can make America great again unless we turn back to God and work on our relationships with him. Is the chapter of Romans in God's book a warning to America? History does repeat itself. Maybe that is why some organizations want to change America's history and others want God out of this great country.

So come with me on this journey to find out what type of Christian you are. Let's find out what type of sheep you are. Let's also find out if Romans, the chapter in the Bible, is a warning to America today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798885406611

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What Type of Christian Are You

Thomas Ernst

ISBN 979-8-88540-660-4 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88540-661-1 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Thomas Ernst

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

Romans 1:1–7: Greetings to the Saints in Rome

Romans 1:8–17: Longing to Go to Rome

Romans 1:18–32: God's Wrath on Unrighteousness

Romans 2:1–16: God's Righteous Judgment

Romans 2:17–29: The Jews and the Law

Romans 3:1–8: God Remains Faithful

Romans 3:9–20: There Is No One Righteous

Romans 3:21–31: Justified by Faith

Romans 4:1–12: Abraham's Justification by Faith

Romans 4:13–25: Abraham's Receives the Promise

Romans 5:1–11: Faith Brings Peace and Joy

Romans 5:12–21: Death in Adam, Life in Christ

Romans 6:1–14: Dead to Sin, Alive to God

Romans 6:15–23: The Wages of Sin

Romans 7:1–12: Released from the Law

Romans 7:13–25: Struggling with Sin

Romans 8:1–17: No Condemnation in Christ

Romans 8:18–27: Future Glory

Romans 8:28–39: God Works in All Things

Romans 9:1–18: Paul's Concern for the Jews

Romans 9:19–29: The Calling of the Gentiles

Romans 10:1–21: The Word Brings Salvation

Romans 11:1–10: The Calling of the Gentiles

Romans 11:11–24: The Engrafting of the Gentiles

Romans 11:25–32: All Israel Shall Be Saved

Romans 12:1–21: Living Sacrifices

Romans 13:1–14: Submissions to Authorities

Romans 14:1–23: Do Not Judge Your Brother

Romans 15:1–13: Accept One Another

Romans 15:14–33: Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

Romans 16:1–16: Personal Greetings and Love

Romans 16:17–27: Avoid Divisions

About the Author

I like to thank my parents, Norman and Barbara Ernst, for introducing me to God at a young age. And to remember Ronald J Redcay, my father-in-law, who died this year January 22, 2022 who was an example of a good sheep.

Introduction

So, what is a baad sheep and how did God communicate this with me? First, let's explain the good sheep. The good sheep has a strong relationship with their Lord Jesus Christ and God. The good sheep has the Holy Spirit with them at all times. How is this done? They study God's word every day. They do daily devotions. They built a strong relation with God which they receive many blessings and is given direction in their life. They can communicate with God in many ways.

Now they baad sheep is a Christian who thinks they have a good relationship with God. But actually, the relationship is an encounter, you know a casual meet and greet. It doesn't sound good, does it? Well, it is someone who goes to church on Sunday and forgets about God most of the week. A friend who they see for an hour once a week but misses these times frequently. Sometimes just makes it at Christmas and Easter. I think now you know what I mean. Now what type of relationship do you think they have with God?

Let me use myself as the baad sheep. I attended Church every week until I started my business which I had to open on Sundays. This took away my time with God and weaken my relationship with Him even more. Think about your relationships in life. Your strongest relationships are the ones with people who you spend the most time with. Your spouse, parents, kids, or best friend. Now compare your relationship with God to those relationships? I bet it is not even close, is it? Well, I can say the same.

Now how did God show me that I was a baad sheep? My whole life I felt God wanted me to do something really important for Him. I could never figure it out. I begged and begged God what was I supposed to do. I never heard Him. I could not understand why God would not tell me. My whole life God did communicate with me in different ways. My most touching story where God talked to me and touched my life was when my two oldest children were young. Both were under five and we were at the shore. We got down there late afternoon and walked down to the beach. The waves were a little strong because a big storm just moved up the east coast the day before. My wife and I were holding the kid's hands while they were jumping the waves that came up to their knees. Well, they wanted to do it on their own. No hand holding. Something told me to go out in the water behind my daughter. The waves were getting my shorts wet, and the current was strong. I was their less than five minutes before a wave knocked her over and the current brought her to me. She came so fast at me that she almost went through my legs out to sea. I grabbed her and held her so tight as she held on to me. I said to my family let's go. All the way back to our beach house we were renting, I had to keep wiping the tears away. I almost lost my daughter that day. If I did not hear God, I would have lost her and I would not be the man I am today. There was no explanation to this except God. God spoke to me that day and saved my daughter's and my life.

So now you know that God's speaks to me which I have many other stories. So why did I not hear him when I asked Him what I was supposed to do? Right before I started to write this book, God gave me a vision. The vision was my judgement day. I did not see my Lord Jesus Christ's face. I was ashamed to look at Him. He spoked to me and asked me how I think I did and if He should let me in?

I said, I did not know what you meant when you said how I think I did.

Jesus asked, How did you live your life? Did you live a life where I should let you into Heaven?

I said, I don't know. I am not sure if I lived it good enough in your eyes. I know if I confess my sins, you will forgive me. But I know I cannot tell you of all of my sins. I am sure I cannot remember all of them.

Jesus said, Go on.

I said, I did want to do more for you but I was not sure what you wanted me to do. I asked and asked but you did not tell me.

Jesus said, Because you did not hear me. And that is because you did not know me.

There is much more to my vision which I hope I can share with you some time. But I am the type of person that does not like to be proven wrong, so I set out to prove I did know Him. I picked a book of the Bible and started to read it. I decided to write down what I knew about each verse which is the baad sheep's view in this book. It did not take long to figure out Jesus was right.

What did Jesus mean when He said, Because you did not hear me. And that is because you did not know me. The best explanation I can give is to think you are at a party with the two strongest people you have relationships with. You get separated and somehow you are sitting by yourself and closed your eyes. You can hear one to the left of you talking to someone in the distance and the other to the right of you talking to someone. You know it is them but the other thirty people in the room, you cannot recognize their voices and have no idea who they are. If you open your eyes, you might know them, but you cannot tell who they are by their voices. So if your eyes were closed and you heard everyone's voices, would you know if one of them is God speaking to you?

I give God all the glory for showing to me that I must do for Him by writing this book. This book is about building your relationship with God so you can hear him when he talks to you. This Palm Sunday April 10, 2022, God showed me I am going in the right direction by revealing this scripture in the church bulletin:

Luke 19:41-44 (New Living Translation

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long, your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.

Chapter 1

Romans 1:1–7: Greetings to the Saints in Rome

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Baad Sheep's View

Romans 1:1: Paul is one of the twelve disciples. Well, am I not 100 percent sure? If I was 100 percent sure, I would be able to name the twelve disciples. I will give it my best attempt: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and of course, Paul. I know there is a Thomas and Judas. How embarrassing not to know our Lord's disciples. What was Paul before he became a disciple? I do not know. How many books of the Bible did he write? I do not know.

Romans 1:2: God gave us the gospel according to Romans 2 through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. Well, that was easy to understand. Is there anything else I could add or reflect on? I cannot think of anything off the top of my head.

Romans 1:3: Concerning his son, that would be Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Also, Romans 3 states that Jesus was descended from David. I could not tell you the line of David, but I know David was a king and killed Goliath. David is a major figure in the Old Testament. I will stop there, so I do not embarrass myself further.

Romans 1:4: The Spirit of holiness. The Spirit to me can be very confusing. I know that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one. I can tell you when I was young, I know I had the Holy Spirit and God sent me visions. Over the course of my life, I lost the Holy Spirit, and I have been praying for the Holy Spirit to reenter my life. I know for the Holy Spirit to enter into your life you need to read, understand, and live God's laws. When you do this the Holy Spirit will show you things and bless your life. Also, Romans 4 reminds us that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. Jesus suffered and died for our sins so we can have eternal life.

Romans 1:5: Through Jesus Christ, we receive grace, and we are called to be apostles. We are to obey God's laws and must have complete faith that Jesus died to save our souls. I cannot add any more to what is written because I do not study God's Word.

Romans 1:6: Everyone on this earth belongs to Jesus Christ. We all one day will have to stand in from of our Lord and be judged. I understand now that the only way to hear my calling is to study God's Word.

Romans 1:7: Paul's final words in his greeting. Paul blesses all those in Rome who belong to God. Paul asks for God's peace and grace to those who already stepped up to read God's Word.

A Good Sheep's View

Romans 1:1: My footnotes say, Paul places himself on the level of the twelve apostles and claims authority from God for his work. It references Matthew 10:2–4, which says:

Now the names of the twelve disciples are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

A good sheep would know the twelve disciples. Well, for me, I am the baad sheep. I only had four correct, Matthew, John, Thomas, and Judas. Clearly Paul is not one of the twelve disciples, but an apostle. When I said Mark, Luke, and Paul, I was incorrect. All three were apostles. Paul wrote many books of the Bible. Some say eight, others say up to fourteen. A good sheep would know this. Some baad sheep might know, well, go back and look how much I did not know. I wonder if most Americans could name more than I did.

Romans 1:2: There are no footnotes for this verse, but it references God's promise with linking this verse to Galatians 3:8, "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. This footnote states, Scripture is personified as a preacher who foretells that Abraham and his example of faith would become a lifechanging blessing to all nations as the gospel spread." A good sheep knows God's promise from studying his many examples in the Bible on a daily basis. The baad sheep knows God's promise from hearing it at church but does reinforce his promise and carry it with them in their heart because they do not read the Scripture when not at church. I am the baad sheep with this verse. God is in my heart, but I easily forget this due to not reading his Word daily. The Holy Spirit is like a muscle. If you don't use it (read the Bible), you will lose it. I think we all know where most Americans fall.

Romans 1:3: My footnotes say, When Christ returns to reign over all, he will fulfill God's promise to David to give him a dynasty that will last forever. It also references 2 Samuel 7:9, which states, "And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. This footnote states, The fear of the Lord essential to the pursuit of obedience and holiness." A good sheep knows what blessings will be bestowed upon them with Christ's return from reading Scripture. The baad sheep is not sure what will happen and is not prepared when Christ returns. I am not prepared, so will I be lifted up with other Christians with the rapture? I don't think so? Matter of fact, I know I will not be lifted, and I will explain this throughout the book. Most Americans will not be lifted in the rapture.

Romans 1:4: My footnotes say, The resurrection proved that Jesus was the Son of God. It also references Hebrews 9:14, which states, How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? This footnote states, Christ's death was the power to purify a person's mind and soul. When good sheep think about Christ's resurrection, they have shivers down their spine and they feel the Holy Spirit in them. When baad sheep think about Christ's resurrection, they probably only have shivers down their spine, and they feel the Holy Spirit in them during Easter service. There are times during church when I can feel the Holy Spirit, but it leaves me when I leave church because I do not read scripture to keep the Holy Spirit with me. The Holy Spirit is consciousness. Most American does not have this consciousness.

Romans 1:5: My footnotes say, "For obedience to the faith: The purpose of the apostles' work was to persuade people to obey God's command to trust Christ. It also references Acts 6:7, which states, And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. This footnote states, These were humble, devoted men of God who became obedient to the faith, recognizing Jesus as their Christ." The good sheep would follow and believe these men and become devoted to God and Jesus Christ their savior and some eventually become apostles. The baad sheep believe these men and know Jesus died for them but do not make the commitment to be devoted to God's works. I am not devoted but am trying to change and become closer to God. But to be obedient, one must know God's Word. Most of America today do not care about God's Word and many want God out of America.

Romans 1:6: There are no footnotes on this verse but it also references Acts 6:7, which states, And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. This footnote states, Those who came to know Christ did not keep that knowledge to themselves but went out and told others. The good sheep know that they need to share what Jesus Christ did for them. And with studying God's Word daily, they are able to talk to anyone with confidence. But the best part is they have the Holy Spirit with them that lifts them up and makes their sharing so exciting while the baad sheep is so busy with their life that they miss this great opportunity to share what Jesus Christ did for them. No, I do not share what Christ did for me. Why? I have no confidence to talk about it. I am embarrassed that I am not educated with God's Word. Most Americans just want to live their lives and not be bothered to learn God's Word.

Romans 1:7: There are no footnotes on this verse, but it references 1 Corinthians 1:2, which states, "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. This footnote states, The tense of the word sanctified indicates that God had sanctified the Corinthians at a specific time in the past, producing a condition that they still enjoyed in the present, called to be saints." A good sheep knows that God wants us all to be saints. The baad sheep know this as well but are too busy with their lives and not confident enough to fulfill this calling. I am the definition of the baad sheep. How many Americans are baad sheep, and the rest not wanting to be bothered by God?

Greetings to the Saints in Rome tells us about Paul's purpose to go to Rome. Paul was told by God to go to Rome and tell everyone (believers and nonbelievers) about God's promise to all who believe that there is a place for them in heaven. God sent his son Jesus Christ to save us all by dying on the cross so our sins will be forgiven. All who believe that Jesus was sent to forgive their sins by confessing their faith and asking for forgiveness for their sins will have eternal life in heaven. By confessing, we must promise to be obedient to God's law and fulfill our purpose. To find our purpose, we must read and study scripture, which we will be given the Holy Spirit to help us spread God's love to those who have not found or learned about God. There is still a place in heaven for us if we do not fulfill our purpose, but we must confess our failure on our judgment day to Jesus Christ. We will be humbled before Christ on our judgment day when we are told of our failures and sins.

We can see that the good sheep will have an easier time confessing their failures and sins on judgment day while the baad sheep will have a very baad day on their judgment day. Just imagine how hard it will be to hear from Jesus that we were not able to find time for God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit? You will not be able to lie to Christ because he knows what is in your heart. Remember when you were small and how your real-life father scolded you for something you did bad. This will be one hundred times worse. How humbled will we be on that beautiful day?

Chapter 2

Romans 1:8–17: Longing to Go to Rome

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, The righteous shall live by faith.

A Baad Sheep's View

Romans 1:8: Paul recognizes that God's Word for this chapter is for Rome because he has heard many stories of faith in Rome from the many different places he visited when he was traveling to spread God's Word. Where has Paul traveled to? I do not know. What stories has he heard? I do not know this either.

Romans 1:9: Clearly, Paul has the Holy Spirit in him, and he knows that God has shown him what his purpose is in life. Paul's purpose is to tell the world about God's son Jesus Christ and his gospel.

Romans 1:10: Paul has been praying for a long time to God about traveling to Rome and asking God for direction. Finally, God told Paul that he is ready and blessed for this long journey.

Romans 1:11: Paul realizes that his wisdom from the time he spent with Jesus will help spiritually strengthen others' faith. Special note: I wrote this before I start studying God's Word. A good sheep knows that Paul never walked with Jesus. Paul's wisdom and spiritual strength came from studying God's Word. My views before I started to study scripture is a great example of how a baad sheep is misled.

Romans 1:12: Paul recognizes that he can also receive spiritual strength from others who have studied God's Word.

Romans 1:13: Paul states that he wanted to travel to Rome for some time but realizes that God had other missions for him to attend first. Paul needed to learn more about other cultures before he traveled to the land that was a melting pot. Rome was a great empire with many cultures just like America today.

Romans 1:14: Paul wants to teach everyone not just the saints in Rome. Paul mentions the privileged and the wrongdoers, the educated and the noneducated.

Romans 1:15: Paul is excited to tell everyone the story of Christ.

Romans 1:16: Paul is not ashamed of God's Word. Paul knows the power of God's Word and knows it is for everyone not just for the Jews.

Romans 1:17: This is the most powerful message in this section. If you study God's Word and live it, God will reveal to you many things that the common man and the baad sheep will not see.

A Good Sheep's View

Romans 1:8: There are no footnotes on this verse, but it references 1 Corinthians 1:4, which states, I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God that is given you by Jesus Christ. This footnote states, Paul focuses his praise not on the troubled Corinthians but on the eternally faithful God. A good sheep knows that everything is done through God. To be a successful good sheep not only do you have to read Scripture daily, but you must pray to God for guidance and help. The baad sheep continues to stumble through their life, not knowing what direction they are supposed to go because they do not read Scripture on a regular basis to receive guidance from God. I have struggled over the years from not placing God first. I cannot wait to see how my life will change by placing God first. I pray America turns back to God.

Romans 1:9: My footnotes say, Paul prayed for them every time he prayed. Paul knew that they could not do their work for God or live their lives without prayer. It also references 1 Thessalonians 3:10, which states, Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? This footnote states, The Thessalonians' endurance under persecution demonstrated the growth of their faith, but Paul wanted them to mature in it. The good sheep knows the only way we can live under God's laws is if we read and study them on a daily basis. But at the same time, we need to pray each day for God's help and guidance to understand how we should live our life. The baad sheep's life is too busy to read God's Word or to pray for his help. This is why they have chaos in their life. I have some good sheep in me, but mostly baad sheep. Sometimes I pray for guidance and for others. Most times, I do not. Do you think that most Americans pray?

Romans 1:10: There are no footnotes or references for this verse. But both a good sheep and a baad sheep can see that Paul prayed for God's will that he makes it to Rome safely. It's funny that I do not pray for safe travel, but if I am late for where I need to go and I see an accident, I always pray to God from protecting me from the accident. I bet most Americans get mad when they are late and cuss when an accident makes them more late.

Romans 1:11: My footnotes say, "To impart…some spiritual gift does not mean that Paul would bestow spiritual gifts like teaching, healing, or prophecy. It means that he would exercise his spiritual gift and, in so doing, would bless them. It also references Romans 15:29, which states, And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. This footnote states, When I come: Paul did get to Rome but not in the time frame or the way he had thought. God had a special plan for Paul. The Lord would give him the opportunity to testify of his faith in the emperor's court, but he would do so as a prisoner." The good sheep obtains spiritual gifts from reading scripture, which they share with others. One who has the Holy Spirit has spiritual gifts. The baad sheep struggle to understand what their spiritual gift is because they do not read the Scripture to guide and receive them. Yes, I am the baad sheep hoping to become a good sheep. Most Americans show no interest in God and his gifts.

Romans 1:12: There are no footnotes for this verse, but it references Titus 1:4, which states, "To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior." There is no footnote for this verse, but to be a good sheep, one must commit to God's Word encourage others and keep the spirit. Do you think the baad sheep has the commitment to God like the good sheep does? I am an example of the baad sheep, and I do not have the commitment to God. I am trying to build my relationship with God, and I like to be a good sheep. Most Americans have no commitment to God.

Romans 1:13: There are no footnotes or references to other verses for this verse. A good sheep knows from experience that one cannot teach a big audience until they have spiritually grown. Just like in baseball, one starts out in the minors and works on their game until they are ready for the big leagues. God made Paul wait until his knowledge was polished for the big city of Rome. The baad sheep are too scared to teach small groups because they do not feel comfortable. But the truth is, they do not want to embarrass themselves with their lack of God's knowledge. How do I know this because this is me? Yes, I am like most Americans who are too busy for God.

Romans 1:14: There are no footnotes or references to other verses for these verses. The good sheep know that God's Word is for everyone and that they need to share his Word. The baad sheep know the basics but lack the knowledge to share God's Word. I know it is hard work to be a good sheep. I pray to God not to be discouraged and let me finish this book. I hope most Americans read my book to see how my life changed by understanding God's purpose for me.

Romans 1:15: There are no footnotes or references to other verses for this verse. A good sheep is well rounded about God's Word and has confidence in knowing that God is with them. The good sheep also has the Holy Spirit with them, which energizes their spirit and soul to share God's Word. The baad sheep struggle with their own knowledge of God's Word and do not have the Holy Spirit to lift them up and give them the confidence to share God's Word with the world. There are times when I have the Holy Spirit, which I feel like the energizer bunny. And there are times I have to say the Holy Spirit is nowhere to be found. This is my own doing by not studying scripture. Just imagine how awesome it would be if most Americans had the Holy Spirit.

Romans 1:16: My footnotes say, The New Testament speaks of salvation in the past tense, present tense, and the future tense. In the past, the believer has been saved from the penalty of sin. In the present, the believer is being saved from the power of sin. In the future, the believer will be saved from the very presence of sin. A good sheep will tell others about the cross and how it will save them from past, present, and future sins while the baad sheep do not have the confidence or knowledge to tell others. Yep, the baad sheep is me. Along with most Americans.

Romans 1:17: My footnotes say, "From faith to faith means faith is at the beginning of