Posts Tagged ‘Romans (2009)’
Romans – Conclusion
Paul began Romans talking about how many gifts the Roman church had. At the end, Paul makes reference to some times that he has had to remind them. The final doxology talks about the obedience of faith echoes the identical phrase at the start. Paul also tells them that he intends to make the Gentiles…
Read MoreRomans – Pleasing Others
Paul continues that those of us who are strong must “bear with the failings of the weak” rather than pleasing ourselves. It is in this sense that we should try to live in harmony with our neighbors–not a false harmony of placation, but truly tying to build him up in faith. A Jewish Christian, for…
Read MoreRomans – Scruples
We are to welcome those weak in faith, and by the same token, we are not to allow those less afflicted with scrupulosity to set the standards. God has welcomed them both, and it is not our place to pass judgment. We will all stand in judgment before God, and we should leave Him that…
Read MoreRomans – Meeting Obligations
We are to be subject to governing authorities, because they get their authority from God. Even while Rome treated the Jews and the Christians harshly, Rome’s infrastructure is what allowed Christianity to flourish. Paul knows that there is no need of insurrection, since God will provide for His people what they need. These governing authorities…
Read MoreRomans – Humility
It may be tempting to be proud of the gifts that God has given us, especially if they are striking gifts, like the gift of prophecy, but we have all been given gifts and these gifts do not make us great, but rather reflect back on God who has given them to us. These gifts…
Read MoreRomans – The Body
Paul asks us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. Some religions claim that the body is evil and thus that we should be ascetics. Others claim that since our bodies are not of any consequence, we should be free to do whatever we want with them. Christianity tells us that this is wrong,…
Read MoreRomans – Will Israel be Saved?
God foreknew some of us who would be saved. These are people who are granted salvation through God’s grace, not through any other means. Paul declares that he is an apostle to the Gentiles and that he magnifies his ministry in order to stir his fellow Jews jealous and thus to save some of them.…
Read MoreRomans – The Elect
So has God rejected His people? No, God has used a people (or rather, a group who are no people) to provoke them to jealousy. The Psalms declare that God will not abandon His people. Paul notes that God had preserved a remnant in Elijah’s time, and God is doing that at the time of…
Read MoreRomans – Mission
People cannot know Christ unless men are sent to preach His gospel to them. This must convict us to proclaim the Gospel to the world. Mission cannot exist without striving to convert the people. God says in Torah that He will stir Israel, a foolish nation up to jealousy to those who are not a…
Read MoreRomans – All who Call upon the Name
Paul’s desire is for all to be saved, both Jew and Gentile. This would not seem to have been accomplished, since there were many who tried to kill him when he returned to Jerusalem. Paul tells us that the Jews were not reckoned the promised land for their own righteousness, but that this righteousness comes…
Read More