Romans Chapter 2

My time spent in chapter 2 has not only been a time of study but a time of reflection as well.  The theme of the chapter is about who needs the gospel...the good news regarding Jesus.  Paul addresses specifically the jews in this chapter.  He admonished them for condemning the gentiles for committing certain sins all the while committing them themselves.  He rebuked them for their "stubbornness and unrepentant heart" (v.5) and said that they were "storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgement will be revealed" (v 5)  The jews were boasting and prideful because they had the law, but Paul reminded them that "God does not show favoritism." (v 11)

Beginning in verse 25 Paul gives instruction regarding keeping the law and having the law written on your heart. The Bible says:  "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."  (Romans 2:28-29)  Paul makes it clear that God is not interested in the physical requirements of the law but the spiritual requirements of the law.  Another example to show that God has moved things from a physical to spiritual level is in Ezekiel.  The Bible says: "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)  Another example of when we have accepted Jesus as Lord and Messiah, God gives us a new heart and puts His Spirit within us.  We "do by nature things required by the law"  The Bible says:  "who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them" (Rom 2:15)  It is the Holy Spirit within us that moves us to do what is right and it is the Holy Spirit within us that convicts us when we do wrong.

It is the overall theme of chapter 2 that really stirs my spirit,  because we all need Jesus.  We all tend to be hypocritical.  It is easy to see the rope someone is tangled up in all the while dangling from one ourself.  I think for some folks we see someone in sin and genuinely want to help them, forgetting that we need to "clean up our own house"as well!  The fact is that we all fall short and need God in our lives on a daily basis.  We show mercy when we have the opportunity but we must evaluate our own lives every day.  Are you where God wants you to be?   Are you a walking testimony of God's grace and love?  Do you love your neighbor?  Do you help others in times of need?  Are you fulfilling the role/job that God placed you in?  Do you feel a closeness and tenderness that comes from God and if not do you trust that He still cares?  Can you rejoice in the good times and be at peace in the bad times?  Do you know anyone who is standing condemned because of their stubbornness and unrepentant heart?  Can you show mercy and kindness to them? These are questions I am asking myself right now!

May your days be blessed!!

Romans Chapter 1

Well, I suppose I can't really say that I have learned a lot more than I already knew in chapter one, (yes, I am still in chapter 1)  but I did see things I hadn't seen before.

Paul is writing to the Romans; both Jews and Gentiles.  (I prefer to use the word Jews when referring to the nation of Isreal.  To me this is not a negative word.  I recognize that the Jews are God's chosen people whom he loves and I pray for the peace of Jerusalem :)  The reason that Paul penned the letter to the Romans was that Judiazers were telling everyone that although salvation was by grace a believer was kept by the law and then others were coming in and saying that you could be saved and still continue in your sin, of which neither is true.   Paul starts by sharing with them his reason for doing what he was doing.  "I am obligated...that is why I am so eager to preach..." (v14-15)  Why was he obligated?  Because he was "called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God" (V1) 

In verses 18-32 Paul talks about the wrath of God...who receives it and who avoids it.  I believe that Paul is talking about the Jews.   "Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, all you clans of the house of Israel. This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me?  They followed worthless idols  and became worthless themselves". (Jeremiah 2:4-5)   Romans v. 21-23 says:  "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles."    What was their punishment?  "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised."  (v.24-25)The literal translation of v. 25 reads "They changed the truth of God into falsehood and worshiped and served the created thing rather that the Creator"  I can't help but to be curious if the truth and lie he was talking about (keeping in mind the reason for his writing Romans) was that of needing to continue to keep the law when Christ came to set us all free.  I also wonder if they began to worship the law rather that God himself???

Whatever their reasons for doing such, God turned them over to their own shameful lusts and depraved minds to do what ought not to be done.  Although they knew God's righteous decree, that those who do such things deserve death, they not only did horrible things but also approved of others who did them as well.

And yet, despite all that, Jesus gave himself as a sacrifice for us all.  I look forward to digging deeper and making it to chapter 2!!  If perhaps I have missed something I welcome any comments to help shed light on my understanding of chapter 1!

Studying in Romans

I am beginning a precepts study on Romans.  I printed out a study guide from precepts ministries website:  www.precepts.org 

Kay Arthur calls Romans the constitution of our faith.  I started last night and am going slowly through.  Right now the focus is on who wrote Romans, which is Paul.  His faith was strong...inspirational.  Despite his desperate persecution of the "followers of the way" Jesus saw through his misguided zeal and brought Paul over from darkness to light.  I can't help but think that I may not be so bold as Paul, to be so confident.  It's Paul's great faith in the love and forgiveness of Jesus that allowed him to boldly proclaim that he was called and set apart by Jesus to preach the gospel, of which he, Paul, was not ashamed.  He proclaimed that it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes (v.16a)

(For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written (in Habakkuk 2:4), “The just shall live by faith.” Rom. 1:17  )

I pray that my journey down the "Romans Road" will lead me to a greater understanding of what it means that the just will live by faith.  I pray that my faith will be strengthened and that my knowledge and wisdom may increase.  I pray that anyone who reads this may be strengthened and encouraged.

God Bless.